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Maine Enacts Constitutional Carry

Cranky

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I'm posting this as information for people who legally carry a hand gun and travel to different states and is NOT intended for political discussion nor will it be open for it.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/08/us-usa-maine-guns-idUSKCN0PI2QX20150708

Maine will allow gun owners to carry concealed weapons without a permit, a practice called "constitutional carry" by Second Amendment advocates, under a bill signed into law on Wednesday by Republican Governor Paul LePage.

The measure will make Maine the fifth state to pass a law legalizing the carrying of a handgun, either openly or concealed, without the requirement of a government permit.

Maine joins Alaska, Arizona, Wyoming and Kansas in voting to allow the practice, according to National Rifle Association spokesman Lars Dalseide. Vermont has never required a permit. Arkansas and Montana also allow more limited forms of constitutional carry.

More than a dozen other states have considered similar legislation.

The Maine law will take effect 90 days after the state’s legislature adjourns, which is expected in mid-July.

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects the right of individuals to own and bear firearms, has limited efforts to pass gun control legislation around the country and has served as the basis for expanding gun rights in many states.

Maine law currently allows gun owners to openly carry a handgun without a permit, but concealed carry requires a background check, a licensing fee, a judgment of “good moral character” and evidence the applicant can handle a gun safely.

Sportsmen’s groups and gun advocates argued the process was too onerous, deterring law-abiding citizens from applying.

Opponents, including Maine Chiefs of Police Association, said rigorous background checks kept weapons out of the hands of felons.

The new law, which passed with broad bipartisan support, would eliminate the permit requirement for any resident over 21 years old who is not already prohibited from owning a firearm.

Active members of the military, and veterans over 18 years of age, would be granted the same privilege.
 
I don't get it? If I carry a handgun and it's visible I don't need a permit, but if it isn't visible I would need a permit?
 
I don't get it? If I carry a handgun and it's visible I don't need a permit, but if it isn't visible I would need a permit?
Lots of laws don't make sense. Texas still (or did) has a law against driving bare foot. That stems from the days when the pedals came up through the floor board and would get hot if the exhaust was routed close by. Laws that should be removed from the books just get buried......
 
I don't get it? If I carry a handgun and it's visible I don't need a permit, but if it isn't visible I would need a permit?

GOOD FOR MN, but.............

What I don't get is why we need a law to "allow" Constitutional carry. Frankly though, I would MUCH rather not advertise to a would be criminal that I'm armed. I will continue to cower in the dark corner, my weapon hidden LOL

Idaho finally got on the stick and updated their CCW with an "enhanced" version, which will allow recip with other states including WA. I had to have a non resident Utah permit in addition to my old Idaho permit to be legal in WA.

NOTHING you do gets you into OR or CA, unless you want to "try" and get a non- resident OR permit.

Most of the states that dont recip to Idaho, are places I "don't need to go." That most certainly includes CA

My philosophy?

"If you aren't willing to carry everywhere, you might as well not carry anywhere"
 
GOOD FOR MN, but.............

What I don't get is why we need a law to "allow" Constitutional carry. Frankly though, I would MUCH rather not advertise to a would be criminal that I'm armed. I will continue to cower in the dark corner, my weapon hidden LOL
I'm with you on that one lol. Texas open carry goes into effect on Jan 1, 2016. I like the law mainly because I don't have to be so conscious about staying concealed loose clothing....for instance, when I got out of my truck the other day, the wind blew my shirt open a bit and I had to make sure I was staying concealed. If you're carrying a package out from a store etc and need both hands, that can become an issue. I generally wear clothing that doesn't do that but there have been a time or two where it happened.
 
As the snowball gathers mass and momentum in the U.S., yeaaaaaaaaaaaa! It can only get better.
 
I don't care what kind of carry they allow, just allowing it is a step in the right direction... I know certain states make it almost impossible to carry, NY, RI, MA, CA, ETC ETC ETC, we need a few states to allow more and make it easier so we can then show the country it works, more good guys with guns ='s more bad guys thinking really hard about being bad guys in certain places, so they will move onto the easier targets and the states with more guns will look even better...

I have permits for about every state I frequent by car, and I can say, its a pain in the *** to get and keep them in some states, and it should not be that way, at the maximum is should be
1- Are you legally able to own a pistol
2- Complete a competency course
3-sign your name
4-register the weapon you intend on carrying
done. That is the worse case, not "prove the need", "apply to multiple agencies", "at the discretion of local law enforcement", ETC ETC ETC.
You are legal, you are competent, you can carry. I really think it should be you HAVE TO carry...
 
It's stupid that I can drive all the way across the country from Washington State to Florida and legally carry concealed, but if I drive a few miles and cross into Oregon, I'm illegal. There should be a federally mandated way to carry in all fifty states if you are qualified to carry in your own state. That will probably never happen. JMHFO.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/travel/
 
How about just carry it and if anything happens just tell the judge "I'm alive today to come before you b/c of my Constitutional right."

Here in CA it is even more stupid. We can open carry legally, but it cannot be loaded...............super.

Were can carry it in our vehicle, but it must be unloaded and locked away...........the ammo has to be locked in a separate location....super.


I'm only here for the money................

- - - Updated - - -

It's stupid that I can drive all the way across the country from Washington State to Florida and legally carry concealed, but if I drive a few miles and cross into Oregon, I'm illegal. There should be a federally mandated way to carry in all fifty states if you are qualified to carry in your own state. That will probably never happen. JMHFO.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/travel/

More likely to find chicken teeth or a Japanese HEMI (YES - there were some) than get CC permit in California.
 
Upstate NY isn't too bad. At least now in my county one can get a unrestricted permit after completed an advanced class. Until now you could only get a permit to hunt/ target shoot. Downstate is still outta luck, but that's of their own doing.
 
The very first thing the instructor said when I took my class was "this class is all about money, the constitution already gives you the right and only when they realized the money that could be made by doing so did the law enforcement finally aprove"! Good for Maine, I've heard rumors of the same here in Ohio?
 
I don't get it? If I carry a handgun and it's visible I don't need a permit, but if it isn't visible I would need a permit?

That's the way it is here in WA state. You can legally carry as long as it is not concealed. If concealed, then you need a permit.
 
Tennessee is a permit to carry state no matter if open or concealed...But once you get the permit, it's your choice as to how you carry it..I prefer concealed no matter what state I'm in, from a tactical standpoint it's the smartest way to carry imo...
 
I don't like the idea that some idiot sees my gun and wants it, so him and his buddy gang up on me and take it away. I don't want anyone to know if I have a firearm or not. Under my arm pit. Surprise!
 
Budnicks Likey,
Maine's Gov. LePage decision on that, you go boy...LOL
long live the NRA & Second amendment...
 
Living in new jersey is still a horror, out of staters beware you will go to jail if your carrying with any permit from any state. New jersey is out to get you! Worse than New York City now!. Be ware!
 
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