Arizona to allow concealed weapons without permit

[ensho]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100416/ap_on_re_us/us_xgr_concealed_weapons_arizona


Favoring the constitutional right to bear arms over others' concerns about gun safety, Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday signed into law a bill making Arizona the third state allowing people to carry a concealed weapon without requiring a permit.

The measure takes effect 90 days after the current legislative session ends, which likely puts the effective date in July or August.

"I believe this legislation not only protects the Second Amendment rights of Arizona citizens, but restores those rights as well," Brewer, a Republican, said in a statement.

Alaska and Vermont now do not require permits to carry concealed weapons.

By eliminating the permit requirement, the Arizona legislation will allow people 21 or older to forego background checks and classes that are now required.

-snip-

Some police officials are concerned the law will lead to more accidental gun discharges from people untrained in firearm safety, or that shooters in stressful situations will accidentally strike innocent bystanders with stray bullets.

"I know a lot of 21-year-olds; the maturity level is gravely concerning sometimes," said El Mirage Police Chief Mike Frazier, an Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police board member. "If you're going to be carrying a weapon you should know what the law is and how to use it."

However, the measure was supported by police unions representing rank-and-file officers, who said their best friend on the streets is a law-abiding citizen equipped to protect themselves or others.

The police chiefs group initially opposed the bill but then took a neutral stance after some provisions were changed at their request. Brewer's office also participated in negotiations on changes to the bill.

-snip-
-------------------

looks like the cops copped out

if these 3 states are looking for trouble, they have found it.

[lonestarnot]

1. pigliCONs on a roll here.

[blondeatlast]

2. Even a concealed carrying (with a permit) friend is furious about this.

Brewer is a boil on the butt of an otherwise beautiful state--and she ain't done with us yet.

[safeinOhio]

10. folks that can not pass a test on gun laws

and safety will now walk among us with out knowing who they can shoot and have no idea what a safety is or basic rules of gun safety. Why not? Hey buddy, hold my beer and watch this.

[PavePusher]

22. And since we have open carry, they could do so before this.

And it doesn't seem to be a problem. Stop with the hysterical hand-wringing.

Show me your proof of training, safety and background check that allows you to exercise your First, Fourth and Thirteenth Amendment Rights, and you'll have a talking point.

[PavePusher]

20. Why?

What is wrong with Constitutional Carry?

[blondeatlast]

36. Because now people who've lost their Constitutional rights (convicted criminals) can

exercise one that is possibly deadly dangerous in their hands.

But you just keep twisting your itty-bitty logic as the NRA tells you to do. It beats rational thought any day.

[cowman]

38. THEY ALREADY DO

THATS WHY THEY ARE CRIMINALS. THY HAVING A RATIONAL THOUGHT ON THIS

[PavePusher]

39. You are quite wrong.

This law does not allow felons to own or carry firearms.

But you just keep making vapid assumptions as your 'tard friends tell you to do. It beats rational thought AND ACTUAL RESEARCH any day.

[Travis Coates]

41. Fail

It is still illegal for a convicted felon to posses a firearm in Arizona. The constitutional carry bill doesn't change that. Thanks for playing though

[X_Digger]

42. No, criminals legally can't. This law doesn't change that. n/t

[Statistical]

53. What stops a criminal from ILLEGALLY carrying?

If a law abiding citizen can't carry at all a criminal can carry illegally.
If a law abiding citizen can carry with a permit a criminal can carry illegally.
If a law abiding citizen can carry without a permit a criminal can carry illegaly.

How does the method a citizen carries legally (open carry no permit, open carry with permit, CCW with permit, CCW no permit, open and CCW with permit, open and CCW no permit) "allow" a criminal to illegally carry a firearm? Or the reverse how does it stop a criminal from illegally carrying a firearm?

[friendly_iconoclast]

58. There you go again with that damned 'logic'. Next, it will be 'facts',...

...and then where will we be?

[Ikonoklast]

3. This is not a good idea.

There is more to 'carrying' than just sticking a pistol in one's pocket.

[slackmaster]

4. Rights outweigh "concerns"

It's pretty simple to understand.

[onehandle]

5. What I want outweighs society.

It's pretty simple to understand.

[slackmaster]

15. It certainly seems to do so in your mind

The patterns are clear in your posts.

[cowman]

19. Last I looked

we have a Bill of Rights not a Bill of your Wants

[tburnsten]

23. Good to see you finally put it in writing

"What I want outweighs society.
Posted by onehandle
It's pretty simple to understand."

[jazzhound]

27. Yes -- that always has been *your* position, hasn't it!

Democratic party be damned! Honest data be damned! Honest progressive award-winning criminologists be damned! Years of concealed/open carry with extremely little negative consequences be damned!

Your own prescious little ego? To be elevated and exulted, of course!

[safeinOhio]

12. rights have responsibilities and freedoms

are not free. Knowledge of gun laws and safety are a responsibility.

[onehandle]

13. Sadly, no. Any idiot can own a gun.

They think it's in the Constitution.

[slackmaster]

16. Actually, idiots are prohibited from owning guns in Arizona

Federal law prohibits mentally ill people, i.e. people who have been adjudicated as incompetent are prohibited from owning guns, and the term mentally ill person includes an idiot in Arizona.

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/1/00215.htm

[safeinOhio]

26. So if a person has not been adjudicated or

diagnosed YET, not only can they own a handgun, they are free to walk around with it stuck in their waste band? Even though they have never picked up a gun, know anything about how it works or goes off, they are free to walk around with one in their pocket? Even though they have no idea what the laws are and might think it is legal to shoot anyone that gives them a dirty look or cuts them off in traffic, they can carry a gun anywhere that they THINK it is legal.
I see nothing wrong with people that have training in the laws and operations of handguns that have had a background check done on them carrying a concealed weapon. Some rural states like Vermont might be able to cope with that law, I'm not sure. I am sure that it is not a good idea in most urban areas and CCW permit laws are not restrained by the Constitution.
Ideologues on both sides of the issue of guns are the ones causing all of the problems for the normal reasonable people. I think if you took away the extremist Brady people and the extreme members of the NRA, there would be few arguments. 90% of the American people are reasonable and fair.

[slackmaster]

32. Would you implement some kind of psychological evaluation for anyone who wants to buy a handgun?

Do tell.

...they are free to walk around with it stuck in their waste band?

That's about the size of it, though anyone who's had any training knows that's a dumb way to carry.

[safeinOhio]

35. Exactly

CCW requires that "any training" is required. Also a background check. As anyone can buy a handgun from a private party in AZ with no background check, how do we know if that person carrying a gun is not an idiot?

I'm saying that CCWs are an excellent way to make sure the person is a law abiding citizen, with some gun training. I know it sounds like discrimination to make sure a gun carrier has the intelligence to pass a simple course.

[onehandle]

37. Violent symbolism is counter to civilized society.

If you need to carry a gun around, maybe you've already failed a 'psychological evaluation.'

[GreenStormCloud]

52. I carry because violent crimes exists and I refuse to be a compliant victim.

You seem to be suggesting that being unwilling to submit to crime is failing the evaluation.

[PavePusher]

40. I have yet to see a good explaination of why...

people in rural areas can be trusted with guns, but people in cities can not, and why Civil Rights should be subject to discrimination based on population density.

[jazzhound]

43. As I have yet to see a pro-reg promoter who is the least bit disturbed about

obvious problems with their arguments.

[safeinOhio]

47. How about zoning laws

more strict in urban areas than rural. Keeping farm animals is not allowed in cities. You can't burn trash or weeds in town. Speed limits are much lower in high density areas. Spiting on the ground is legal in the woods. Against the law to discharge a fire arm with in city limits. Septic fields are against the law in NY city. Laws in cities that you must clean up after your dog. You don't have the right to leave junk cars in your yard in town. Every civil right you have, has some restrictions.

[tburnsten]

48. eh, it's already illegal to fire off guns in towns

Unless the town is so rural that most of it isn't a "town" at all, but woods with a few roads and some houses included.

I get where you're coming from though, it is a pretty logical way to go, however most of the good urban v rural laws are already on the books.

And there really isn't any reason to deny people the right to carry in town where they have it out of town.

[PavePusher]

49. And how do you explain the places where ownership or bearing of firearms is actually banned...

or is essentially banned?

That goes a little beyond "restriction".

[panader0]

6. I've seen a few signs in bars and restaurants around here

in So Arizona that say 'No Weapons Allowed', but how're they goona tell if the guns are concealed? This won't be a good thing.

[onehandle]

7. Can't you just look for the bulge?

I would assume that they would want make the bulge apparent.

[slackmaster]

17. You're unclear on the concept of "concealed"

It's not supposed to be obvious.

[PavePusher]

21. S/he's making a dick joke.

A small one.

[tburnsten]

25. It is stunning how little you know about the subject

considering you spend so damned much time harping on it, I'd just assume you wanted to be taken seriously, but apparently I was wrong.

[east texas lib]

8. The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Dupe anyway.

[Katya Mullethov]

9. Open carry w/o paying yet anothertax in Texas? = longarms

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/capitol-plan-is-a-far-piece-from-firearm-565796.html


Brady campaign calls Texas policy "very puzzling"

I lulled

[msongs]

11. gun owners cause 100% of gun related crime. no gun owners = no gun related crime nt

[east texas lib]

14. Nice bumper sticker.

Very nice.

[X_Digger]

24. I think there's room in the back..

[jazzhound]

30. I so pity the brain that operates in such simplistic terms. n/t

[friendly_iconoclast]

44. criminals cause 100% of gun related crime. no criminals = no gun related crime nt

[GreenStormCloud]

45. How do you plan to disarm criminals? N/T

[cowman]

18. There will be

bloodrunning streets in these 3 states:sarcasm: :rofl: , oh wait, it hasn't happened. When are you anti's going to come up with something new?

[safeinOhio]

28. How about when

all you daily posters start paying your way by supporting this forum with few bucks to buy a star.:sarcasm: :rofl: :pals:

[tburnsten]

29. Like me?

And way to go by using voluntary donations to a public forum as a bludgeon.

Somehow I don't think that's particularly good etiquette.

[safeinOhio]

34. Post 18 ask a rhetorical question

etiquette allows a rhetorical answer.

Did not refer to you. Voluntary donations are subject to discussions on DU. Note the post on Sean Hannity's charity. Also note I referred to no one person, only generic post.

[tburnsten]

51. I gotcha

I know it isn't off-limits, but it's still very poor etiquette in my eyes.

[cowman]

31. What the hell

does that have to do with the OP? Try stay on point

[safeinOhio]

33. Why do go so defensive, didn't you

see the sarcasm smilies?

[classysassy]

46. Brewer and her republican gang

want to take the state back to the good old days,those jerkwater jackasses are nuts.

[friendly_iconoclast]

50. Maybe they do, but this law won't do it. Look at Vermont. n/t

[PavePusher]

55. How is that going to work, vis-a-vis this new firearms law?

Please, expound...

[Abq_Sarah]

56. What exactly

Are the "good old days"?

[PavePusher]

54. "if these 3 states are looking for trouble, they have found it."

How so? Vermont has been pretty damned peaceful since the American Revolution. Some 230+ years. Plenty of time for problems to have cropped up, yathink?

[slackmaster]

57. I'm temporarily stranded in AZ right now!

Delayed flight out of PHX. Damn the volcano!

Amazingly, I haven't seen anyone pull a gun, and none of my fellow castaways have turned to cannibalism yet.

The people here are downright nice, even the TSA folks. Eddie the bartender remembered me from about a year ago!

But I do miss my cats.

There's no place like home. There's no place like home...