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Private firearms carried in public, openly or concealed
Glock: The Rise of America's Favourite Handgun
27 January 2012
New York Times, Book review
You rarely pull a gun to start a conversation, but when I recently told an in-law that I was writing about Glock pistols, he improvised a research project. Reaching beneath his jacket, he quickly unholstered, unloaded and handed me his Glock 9 millimeter — this was in Kentucky, land of permissive concealed-carry laws. "I always carry this, and I always will," he said before giving me a primer that could have been used in a promotional video for both the pistol and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Up? It's a Beat-up Story: Real US Industry Figures Suppressed
9 January 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
The media has been awash this holiday season with stories about a "dramatic increase" in gun sales in the United States. CNN, for example, declared, "December holiday shoppers were not just interested in buying the hottest electronics and toys--they also were purchasing record numbers of guns." USA Today claimed, "Along with millions of Kindles, Angry Birds and gift cards, Santa left a record number of guns under Americans' Christmas trees." Reuters gushed about "16.5... (GunPolicy.org)
In North Carolina, 2,400 Hidden Handgun Permit Holders Had Convictions
26 December 2011
New York Times
Alan Simons was enjoying a Sunday morning bicycle ride with his family in Asheville, N.C., two years ago when a man in a sport utility vehicle suddenly pulled alongside him and started berating him for riding on the highway.
Mr. Simons, his 4-year-old son strapped in behind him, slowed to a halt. The driver, Charles Diez, an Asheville firefighter, stopped as well. When Mr. Simons walked over, he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.
"Go ahead, I'll shoot... (GunPolicy.org)
Racing to Lowest Standard, US States Slacken Controls on Hidden Handguns
20 December 2011
USA Today
JACKSON, Miss. – A Mississippi resident who receives a concealed carry permit and takes an eight-hour course can now carry a gun on college campuses, in bars and in courthouses.
As of this summer, Wyoming residents need no permits for concealed weapons. And in Indiana, private businesses must allow employees to keep firearms in their vehicles on company property.
Those and other recent changes on the state level represent a growing shift toward loosening state gun... (GunPolicy.org)
US Handgun Production, Imports Double in 4 Years: Women Lead Trend?
11 December 2011
Sydney Morning Herald, Bloomberg (USA)
NEW YORK -- Robin Natanel picks up a compact black pistol, barrel pointed down range. Gripping the gun with both hands, left foot forward, she raises the semi-automatic and methodically squeezes off five shots. The first one creases the left edge of a red bull's-eye on a target 7.5 metres away. The four others paint a 7.5-centimetre pattern around the first. If the target were a person's head or heart, he would probably be dead.
Natanel is a Buddhist, a self-avowed... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handguns: US Lawmakers Vote for Lowest Common Gun Safety Rules
26 November 2011
Economist
One question that worries many visitors to defensivecarry.com, a website devoted to the delights and pitfalls of life with a hidden gun, is whether their "concealed-carry" permits will be valid outside the state in which they are issued. Can they take their guns on holiday with them? Can they pack them in their checked bags for a flight? What if their plane is diverted to a spot like New York, which makes it exceedingly difficult to carry a gun? And if they cannot bring... (GunPolicy.org)
Laws Restricting Hidden Handguns Weakened, Eliminated in 22 US States
15 November 2011
Mother Jones (USA)
Ever thought about stashing a loaded Glock in your jacket and carrying it into a bar for a little extra protection? In Ohio, thanks to a new state law, you're now free to do so. All you need is a permit.
Ever since Ohio implemented a "concealed carry" law in 2004—allowing the possession of a hidden, loaded handgun in public—changes in state legislation have made it increasingly easy for people to carry guns around. This year, Ohio lawmakers decriminalized having a... (GunPolicy.org)
American Gun Lobby, Far Right Pushing for More Lenient Gun Laws
29 October 2011
al Jazeera, Opinion
If you are looking for the literal embodiment of dysfunction in US political culture and the institutions that serve it, look no further than the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the deadly and divisive role it plays in shaping the political agenda. Specifically, the radically and reliably dishonest, dangerous and deranged legislation they foist upon the American people day in and day out through their purchase of most Republican and many Blue-Dog Democratic... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Voters, Muslims Need Not Apply for Texas Gun Course
28 October 2011
Reuters
SAN ANTONIO - A central Texas gun dealer ran radio ads advising "Socialist" liberals, those who voted for President Barack Obama, Arabs and Muslims that they need not apply for his concealed gun license class.
Crockett Keller, who owns Keller's Riverside Store, ran the ads on the radio station in his rural hometown of Mason, Texas, which is 120 miles west of the state capital of Austin.
"If you are a Socialist liberal and/or voted for the current campaigner in chief,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Bill, 'That's Not Liberty, More Like Lunacy'
24 October 2011
New York Times, Opinion
Between the struggle to fold a sport jacket so it doesn't wrinkle, the 45-minute wait on a security line if I'm flying, the price of gas if I'm driving and the worry either way that I left the coffee maker on, I thought I was pretty well versed in the inconveniences and stresses of domestic travel.
Hardly! Things could be much, much worse, namely if I were a gun owner with a permit to carry a concealed firearm in my home state and an itch to do so in any other state I... (GunPolicy.org)
California to Ban Open-Carry of Handguns, Retain Info on Long Gun Sales
11 October 2011
San Francisco Chronicle
SACRAMENTO - Gov. Jerry Brown has outlawed the open carrying of unloaded handguns in California, signing a bill late Sunday night that makes the practice that had been popular with some gun rights advocates a misdemeanor in the state.
The bill, AB144 by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge (Los Angeles County), will take effect Jan. 1 and was backed by law enforcement officials throughout the state who said the practice created a public safety... (GunPolicy.org)
At Urging of Police, California Bans Open Carrying of Handguns
10 October 2011
Los Angeles Times
Sacramento— With the announcement early Monday that he had outlawed the public display of handguns in California, Gov. Jerry Brown bucked a national trend toward more lenient firearms laws and placed himself in the political cross-hairs of the state's 2nd Amendment activists.
Brown, the owner of three guns, said in a statement that he signed a bill banning the open carrying of handguns at the urging of law enforcement officials, who included Los Angeles Police Chief... (GunPolicy.org)
The US Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act: 'Some Bad Ideas Refuse to Die'
18 September 2011
New York Times, Editorial
Some bad ideas refuse to die. Include in that category an extreme proposal percolating in the House to strip states of their authority to decide who may carry a concealed loaded firearm. This gift to the gun lobby, the subject of a hearing last week by a House Judiciary subcommittee, is nearly identical to a provision the Senate defeated by a narrow margin two years ago.
Every state but Illinois makes some allowance for concealed weapons. The eligibility rules vary... (GunPolicy.org)
Judges Across America Rule Against Further Relaxation of US Gun Laws
27 August 2011
Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON — The 2nd Amendment's "right to keep and bear arms" is proving to be a right to keep a gun at home, but so far not a right to bear a loaded firearm in public.
The Supreme Court breathed new life into the amendment when it struck down strict handgun bans in Washington and Chicago and spoke of the "inherent right of self-defense."
But to the dismay of gun rights advocates, judges in recent months have read those decisions narrowly and rejected claims from... (GunPolicy.org)
For New Wisconsin Hidden Handgun Permits, Web Training May Suffice
10 July 2011
Fox News (USA) / AP
MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin residents who want to carry a concealed handgun legally need to be trained first -- but the state's new law could allow applicants to satisfy that requirement without ever touching a gun.
The concealed-carry measure became law when Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed it Friday. A few minor parts take effect right away but most aspects don't go into effect until November.
The law, which now leaves Illinois as the only state without some sort of... (GunPolicy.org)
Illinois Final Focus of US Gun Lobby Battle to Encourage Hidden Handguns
29 June 2011
Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois — As state after state voted to let residents carry concealed guns, Illinois has held out, for a long list of reasons: A strong gun control movement. A dynasty of powerful Chicago mayors. A line-up of state leaders who oppose expanding access to guns.
With Wisconsin now on the verge of adopting concealed carry, Illinois soon will be all alone, the last state with a complete ban on carrying concealed weapons. That makes it the next big prize in... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Relaxes Law to Allow Hunting in Cities, Hidden Handguns in Bars
19 June 2011
Arizona Republic
Gun advocates were shocked in April when Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed bills that would have relaxed restrictions on guns in public facilities and on college campuses.
While those measures failed, four less-controversial gun bills will take effect July 20.
The bills involve hunting within city limits, concealed-carry licensing, carrying firearms in wildlife refuges and firearm rights for those who have been rehabilitated from mental illness. All four either modify or repeal... (GunPolicy.org)
New Ohio Law can Expunge Crime Record for Possession of Guns in Cars
17 June 2011
Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
The new gun bill that Gov. John Kasich is poised to sign includes something unusual in Ohio law: a "do-over" for past violators of firearms-in-vehicles rules.
Senate Bill 17 would allow concealed-carry permit-holders to take guns into bars, restaurants and stadiums that serve alcohol, unless those venues post prohibitions. It also includes an expungement process so that past violators of sections of the law related to possession of firearms in vehicles could have their... (GunPolicy.org)
Ohio Passes Law Allowing Gun Owners to Carry Guns in Bars
16 June 2011
Daily Mail (UK)
Lawmakers in Ohio have voted to allow gun owners to carry guns in bars.
The state has ruled that it is acceptable for drinkers to conceal their weapons as they prop up bars.
The Ohio General Assembly passed the bill in a 55-38 vote despite opponents complaining that guns and alcohol would endanger public safety.
Also included in the controversial law is a change to the restrictions on how guns can be transported within the Midwest state.
The state Senate, which had... (GunPolicy.org)
Kansas Received the 'Craziest Gun Laws' Award from US Gun Control Group
30 May 2011
Kansas City Star (Missouri) / AP
WICHITA - A national gun-control group has named Kansas as one of four states to receive its "Craziest Gun Laws" award because of a new measure the organization says allows guns in the state's schools.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence issued its annual ranking of gun laws earlier this month. Kansas, Virginia, Utah and Florida received the group's "Craziest Gun Laws" award.
The Wichita Eagle reports state and local officials say a bill signed by Gov. Sam... (GunPolicy.org)
Oklahoma Bill Allows Concealed-Carry Permit Holders to Bring Guns on Campuses
26 May 2011
Tulsa World (Oklahoma)
OKLAHOMA CITY - Gov. Mary Fallin signed a measure Wednesday that allows people with concealed-carry permits to leave weapons in locked vehicles in CareerTech campus parking lots.
"I believe, as does our Legislature, that it is reasonable to allow a gun owner with a concealed-weapons permit to leave his or her gun locked in the car while visiting a career technology center," Fallin said.
"Permit holders already have that right at most locations in Oklahoma. This is a... (GunPolicy.org)
Wisconsin Concealed Carry Law: Guns Allowed into State Capitol?
25 May 2011
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
MADISON - Wisconsin residents would be allowed to carry concealed weapons without getting permits or any training under a bill a Senate committee approved Wednesday, and the lead sponsor of the measure said she supported allowing people to bring guns into the state Capitol.
The vote came the same day an email from a top aide to Gov. Scott Walker was released that said as of six months ago Walker was prepared to sign "any" concealed weapons legislation. The email was... (GunPolicy.org)
In Favor of a Responsible Concealed-Carry Law for Wisconsin
24 May 2011
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin), Editorial
We favor a responsible concealed-carry law for Wisconsin - one that requires a permit, a realistic amount of training, a background check and access for law enforcement to a database of permit holders, records that should be subject to the state Open Records Law.
Unfortunately, the state Senate is slouching toward irresponsibility.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on a retooled bill Wednesday that would allow people to carry guns without registering them with... (GunPolicy.org)
California Gun Control Law Could Lead to More People Carrying Guns
24 May 2011
Los Angeles Times, Opinion
What if we passed a gun control law but it led to more people carrying guns on our streets? That may be exactly what happens if a bill passed last week by the California Assembly becomes law.
AB 144 would prohibit the carrying of visible firearms in California cities. It was inspired by the spectacle of gun-rights advocates showing up last year at Starbucks shops with their handguns prominently displayed. That's legal, as long as those guns are unloaded.
If, however,... (GunPolicy.org)
Wisconsin Law Would Allow Concealed Carry Guns Without Training or Permit
23 May 2011
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
MADISON - The effort to allow people to carry concealed weapons without getting training or a permit is gaining traction in the state Senate.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on a revamped version of a bill to do that at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. It would allow people to carry concealed guns without registering with the state, but would also allow them to get optional permits that would allow them to carry weapons closer to schools.
Those optional licenses would... (GunPolicy.org)
Debate Over Open-Carry Handguns Flares Again in Philadelphia
21 May 2011
Fox News (USA)
With a shocking altercation between Philadelphia police and a 25-year-old IT worker putting the spotlight back on open-carry gun laws, local authorities are warning gun owners that they will be "inconvenienced" if they carry unconcealed handguns in the city.
Lt. Raymond Evers, a spokesman for the city police, told FoxNews.com that gun owners who open carry, which is legal in the city, may be asked to lay on the ground until officers feel safe while they check... (GunPolicy.org)
The Push for a Concealed Carry Law in Wisconsin Raises Questions
18 May 2011
La Crosse Tribune (Wisconsin), Editorial
The push for a concealed-carry law in Wisconsin raises questions that we can't seem to understand:
* Why do the leaders of our state insist on making it more difficult to vote while making it easier to carry a weapon? Why do you have to show a photo ID to vote when, under one of the concealed-carry proposals, you can apply for a license by mail without proof of identification?
* At a time when our state leaders are intent on cutting personnel costs to reduce... (GunPolicy.org)
California New Bill Bans Open Carry of Unloaded Handguns
17 May 2011
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, California - The California Assembly approved a bill Monday to prohibit openly carrying unloaded handguns in public after a debate that pitted gun rights proponents against chiefs of police.
The bill, AB144, would make it a misdemeanor to carry an exposed and unloaded gun in a public place, street or vehicle except in some unincorporated areas. It was approved 45-29 largely along party lines and moves to the Senate.
Several states ban openly carrying... (GunPolicy.org)
California New Bill: Crackdown on Carrying Unloaded Handguns in Public
17 May 2011
Sacramento Bee (California)
Saying you don't need a gun to order a cheeseburger, a California lawmaker Monday pushed through the Assembly a crackdown on carrying unloaded handguns in public places.
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino's legislation takes aim at a movement that encourages people to show up at public places with unloaded handguns strapped to their side.
"Our families deserve to feel safe in our parks and coffee shops," said Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge.
"You don't need a handgun... (GunPolicy.org)
Clash Between Man and Cops in Philadelphia Over Legal Open Carry of Guns
16 May 2011
Philadelphia Inquirer
MARK FIORINO'S story has three elements that tend to get people worked up - gun rights, Philly police and YouTube.
On a mild February afternoon, Fiorino, 25, decided to walk to an AutoZone on Frankford Avenue in Northeast Philly with the .40-caliber Glock he legally owns holstered in plain view on his left hip. His stroll ended when someone called out from behind: "Yo, Junior, what are you doing?"
Fiorino wheeled and saw Sgt. Michael Dougherty aiming a handgun at... (GunPolicy.org)
Georgian Gun Law Allowing Open Carry Raises Confusion
16 May 2011
Times Free Press (Tennessee)
Walking into Los Guerreros restaurant off Main Street in LaFayette, Ga., to grab some food on his day off recently, Denny Rayes stiffened when he saw that the man in front of him had a gun strapped to his side.
"It made me think, 'I wish I was wearing mine,'" said Rayes, a LaFayette police officer and resident.
For nearly a year it has been legal for people with concealed-carry permits to wear their weapons in plain sight as long as they are holstered.
But it still... (GunPolicy.org)
Fed. Judge Ruled in Favor of Stricter Control of Hidden Handgun in California
16 May 2011
Fox News / AP
SACRAMENTO, California – A federal judge ruled Monday there is no constitutional right to carry a hidden gun in public — a decision that dealt a setback to gun-rights advocates who had challenged how much discretion California law enforcement officials have in issuing concealed weapons permits.
U.S. District Court Judge Morrison England Jr. in Sacramento supported a policy by Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto that says applicants must have a reason, such as a safety... (GunPolicy.org)
New Ohio Guns Law Allowing Concealed-Carry in Bars: Let's Not Drink to That
14 May 2011
news.cincinnati.com, Editorial
When Ohio's concealed-carry law was enacted in 2004, opponents warned it would lead to Wild West shootouts on the streets. They were wrong. The legislation licensing qualified Ohioans to carry concealed firearms, forged through years of tough debate, struck a sometimes awkward yet reasonable balance between liberty and safety.
But now, Ohio lawmakers, with signals of support from Gov. John Kasich, are poised to upset that balance with a measure to allow concealed... (GunPolicy.org)
Wisconsin Concealed Carry Bills: Guns Make Us Feel Safer Everywhere?
12 May 2011
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin), Opinion
Here's what I don't get. If concealed carry is such a good idea and is going to make us all safer, why exempt government buildings where lawmakers work?
Or schools for that matter. Think how much safer the kids will be if someone with a gun happens to be around if trouble breaks out in the lunch line or third-hour study hall. You know, it takes a vigilante to raise a child.
If more guns equal more protection, then let's go for it and quit watering down the rules.... (GunPolicy.org)
Ohio Controversial New Law Allowing Guns in Places that Serve Alcohol
12 May 2011
Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
A divided Ohio House voted yesterday to allow concealed-carry permit holders to take guns into restaurants, bars and open-air arenas that serve alcohol as long as they do not drink.
"I say we're not expanding Second Amendment rights. We are restoring Second Amendment rights," said Rep. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, one of the measure's sponsors. "How sad we have to do that. We have had substantial infringement upon our constitutional rights."
The bill passed 56-40 and... (GunPolicy.org)
Republicans Moving Forward: Texas Senate Approve Guns On Campus
10 May 2011
News 10 (Albany, New York) / AP
AUSTIN, Texas - Republicans in the Texas Senate on Monday approved allowing concealed handgun license holders to carry weapons into public college buildings and classrooms, moving forward on a measure that had stalled until supporters tacked it on to a universities spending bill.
Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, had been unable to muster the votes he needed under Senate rules to pass the issue as its own bill after the measure met stiff resistance from higher... (GunPolicy.org)
Carry Hidden Guns Without Permit or Training: Wisconsin Bills Trigger Debates
8 May 2011
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
A newly floated bill that would allow Wisconsin residents to carry concealed weapons without getting permits, background checks or training would essentially let the state catch up with the latest thinking in gun law, according to backers who call the approach "constitutional carry."
Others, however, seem stunned at the idea that anyone who could lawfully own a gun could carry it just about anywhere, under a coat or in a purse, without any government oversight.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
US Open Carry Movement: The Right To Bear Arms Movement Growing
7 May 2011
Russia Today
The number of shootings in the schools and streets of America has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of thousands to assert their Second Amendment rights. The movement to bear arms publicly at all times is significant and growing.
Some even see their semi-automatics as a last line of defense against the government.
Craig Rutherford, member of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, spent years carrying a gun in the Balkans and in Iraq as a defense contractor. So when... (GunPolicy.org)
Illinois Looks Set to Allow Residents to Carry Hidden Handguns: Say No
4 May 2011
Chicago Tribune, Editorial
The Illinois House may vote Thursday on legislation that would allow residents of the state to carry a concealed weapon in public. The bill passed out of committee Wednesday. If it passes the House and Senate, it faces a promised veto by Gov. Pat Quinn.
Illinois is, admittedly, an outlier in the issue of concealed carry of firearms. Illinois and Wisconsin are the only states that completely prohibit it. Wisconsin, though, permits the open carry of firearms in some... (GunPolicy.org)
California Legislature Mum on Lawmakers Wanting to Carry Hidden Guns
2 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
SACRAMENTO, California - The California Legislature will not disclose the identities of four lawmakers who sought to carry concealed weapons inside the state Capitol and other legislative buildings, even though all four are publicly known.
On Monday, the state Senate cited exemptions in the Legislative Open Records Act as it rejected an inquiry from The Associated Press. The Assembly previously also cited privacy and security concerns in denying the AP's request for... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Muzzles Doctors on Gun Safety, Bans Local Gun Control Laws
28 April 2011
Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Senate on Thursday, by a succession of mostly party-line votes, approved a trio of bills that supporters say will ensure citizens' constitutionally-protected gun rights.
One measure restricts doctors from asking patients about gun ownership, and another prohibits local governments from passing stricter gun laws than the state. Those two already have been approved by the House and await Republican Gov. Rick Scott's signature.
The third, which... (GunPolicy.org)
Restricting Firearms Makes Us Less Safe: US Gun Lobby Chief Makes Case
25 April 2011
USA Today, Opinion
Several states are passing Stand Your Ground laws and loosening their concealed carry laws, making it easier for people to defend themselves … and that's a good thing.
Consider what happens when decent people can't protect themselves.
Amanda Collins was a student at University of Nevada's Reno campus in 2007. Even though she had a concealed carry permit, she was unarmed the night she was brutally raped by James Biela. She had left her gun at home because she was... (GunPolicy.org)
Politicians 'Cowed' as US Gun Lobby Pursues 'Radical to Idiotic' Gun Laws
24 April 2011
USA Today, Editorial
When it comes to gun fights, things are pretty quiet on the Potomac these days. Democrats, cowed by the National Rifle Association's political clout, have no taste for pushing gun control up the agenda. And even if they did, the landmark 2008 Supreme Court ruling that the Second Amendment provides a right for individuals to own guns largely leaves them disarmed.
The states, however, are another matter. Gun rights activists have taken their national victories not as a... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handguns OK in Ohio Bars As Long As Gun Owner Doesn't Imbibe
17 April 2011
Hudson Hub Times (Ohio)
COLUMBUS - Permitted Ohioans would be allowed to carry concealed firearms into bars and restaurants that sell alcohol as long as they're not imbibing, under legislation OK'd by the Ohio Senate April 13.
Substitute Senate Bill 17 passed on a final vote of 25-7 and heads to the Ohio House for further consideration.
"This legislation is about affirming law-abiding citizens the right to bear arms," said Sen. Tim Schaffer, a Republican from Lancaster and primary sponsor of... (GunPolicy.org)
Illinois Moves to Allow Hidden Handguns, Hide Identity of Gun Owners
10 April 2011
Christian Science Monitor
CHICAGO - It's highly likely that the identity of Illinois gun owners will continue to be protected from public disclosure.
Legislation passed in the state House of Representatives Friday circumvents the efforts of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who is fighting to make the names and expiration dates of all state-issued firearm owner identification cards available through the state's Freedom of Information Act.
Attorney General Madigan contends that citizens... (GunPolicy.org)
Illinois Passes Bill to Prevent Publication of Gun Permit Holders' Names
8 April 2011
Reuters
The Illinois House passed a bill on Friday that would allow gun owners to have their identities shielded from public disclosure.
The legislation, sponsored by Republican Rep. Richard Morthland passed by 98-12 with wide bipartisan support in the Democratic-majority House.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has contended that the names and expiration dates on firearm owner identification cards should be available under the state's Freedom of Information Act.
"We... (GunPolicy.org)
Maryland 'Gun Pushers' Want Courts to Gut Hidden Handgun Restrictions
22 March 2011
Baltimore Sun
A national gun control advocacy group weighed in Tuesday on a federal lawsuit that challenges Maryland's handgun permit laws, saying that the changes sought would be "bad law and even worse policy."
In an amicus brief, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence urges the dismissal of a lawsuit brought last year by the Second Amendment Foundation on behalf of Hampstead resident Raymond Woollard, a Navy veteran who was denied a renewal of his handgun permit.
Brady Center... (GunPolicy.org)
2,405 More Americans Have Been Shot Dead Since Tucson Mass Shooting
13 March 2011
Newsweek (USA)
On a snowy Wednesday evening in February, the main attraction on the marquee at the Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg, Va., was True Grit, the Coen Brothers' bloody homage to the shoot-'em-up Westerns of Hollywood's Golden Age. But the movie playing inside had a very different message to send.
Four years ago, on April 16, 2007, Colin Goddard was one of 49 people shot by Seung-Hui Cho in Virginia Tech's Norris Hall, a mere 1,000 yards from the Lyric Theatre — and one of... (GunPolicy.org)
Response to Arizona Mass Shooting: Americans Should Carry More Guns
10 March 2011
New York Times, Column
It's been nearly nine weeks since that tragic shooting in Tucson, and you may be wondering whether there's been any gun legislation proposed in the aftermath.
Well, in Florida, a state representative has introduced a bill that would impose fines of up to $5 million on any doctor who asks a patient whether he or she owns a gun. This is certainly a new and interesting concept, but I don't think we can classify it as a response to Tucson. Jason Brodeur, the Republican... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Proposed New US Gun Laws Would Further Weaken Gun Control
8 March 2011
BBC News
Two months have passed since six people were killed and a dozen injured in a gun attack in Tucson, Arizona, directed at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The BBC's Paul Adams looks at where the debate over gun control now stands in the state.
Outside Safeway, at the junction of Oracle and Ima, in northern Tucson, almost all traces of the tragedy have gone.
Across the busy highway, a simple line of white crosses, each bearing the name of a victim, stands out against a... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Confident of Making Hidden Handguns Legal in 50th US State
6 March 2011
Peoria Journal Star (Illinois)
PEORIA — Tazewell County Sheriff Bob Huston has been around guns all his life. Target shooting with his grandfather. A member of Manual High School's rifle club in Peoria in the 1960s. Manager of a shooting range 25 years. Almost 40 years in law enforcement, including 12 as sheriff.
In all those years, he's never had to fire a weapon on duty. "Most police officers don't," he says. He's only had to pull a gun once while off duty.
"I was at the track running, I saw a... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Professors Scared of Armed Students, Scared of Arming Students
6 March 2011
Los Angeles Times
AUSTIN, Texas - Konrad Sliwowski stood in the shadow of the University of Texas clock tower surrounded by the lunchtime clamor: the student election volunteers in handmade "Vote Big John" T-shirts, the Lego Club, and activists against human trafficking stationed near fliers advertising a screening of "Airplane!"
"I don't like guns in any kind of situation," the 22-year-old senior said recently while passing out fliers for a lecture on Rwanda. "School is already an... (GunPolicy.org)
American Lawmakers, Industry, Lobby Push for More Guns on Campus
6 March 2011
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
ELIZABETH JACKSON: In the US, Texas legislators are considering giving college students the right to carry concealed weapons on campus.
Any changes to gun control in the US always sparks furious debates and this is no different.
Those pushing the move say it would help prevent massacres like Virginia Tech while others say it will only help increase the chances of yet another mass shooting.
Our North America correspondent Lisa Millar has been speaking to those on both... (GunPolicy.org)
Texans Divide Over Encouraging Hidden Handguns on Campus, in Class
3 March 2011
Wall Street Journal
DALLAS — Texans are about to engage in a political shootout over guns on campus.
Legislators in the Lone Star State have proposed that college students and professors be allowed to carry concealed weapons. Opponents of the measures, including the presidents of some of the state's biggest universities, say handguns would be a bad addition to an environment in which stress and drinking are rampant.
With a vote on the measures coming as soon as late March, the issue is... (GunPolicy.org)
Fear of Obama Sends Hidden Handgun Permit Numbers Soaring in Ohio
3 March 2011
Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
Ohio has pumped out a record number of permits to carry concealed weapons since Barack Obama became president, according to a report released yesterday by Attorney General Mike DeWine.
"There's the perception out there that gun control might be inevitable under the Obama administration," said Jeff Garvas, president of Ohioans for Concealed Carry.
"So when there's a potential to lose your right to own a gun or it might be harder to get a permit, that might drive more... (GunPolicy.org)
Illinois Debates Whether to Reveal or Conceal Names of Gun Owners
2 March 2011
St Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - In a year that promises to be busy with gun-related legislation -- including conceal-carry bills and a move to stop cities from imposing their own gun restrictions -- add the issue of whether gun owners' names are a matter of public record.
The Illinois State Police says they aren't, and has denied a request by The Associated Press to see the list of who has a Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card.
The news agency appealed to Illinois... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Left Has Permanently Lost the Argument for Gun Control
1 March 2011
Washington Times, Editorial
The left has permanently lost the argument on gun control. Despite their best efforts to take advantage of the tragic shooting in Arizona to promote pointless restrictions on things like the size of handgun magazines, the propaganda campaign is unlikely to go anywhere. Instead, the right to keep and bear arms continues to gain steam as state lawmakers around the country are enacting measures that would have been unthinkable not so long ago.
On Monday, Wyoming lawmakers... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Moves Closer to Allowing Hidden Handguns on College Campuses
28 February 2011
New American (USA)
In one of the most controversial, but many say common-sense, moves related to campus violence and Second Amendment rights, the state of Texas is considering legislation that would allow students, professors, teachers, and other personnel to carry firearms on the campuses of elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as those of colleges and universities — without any violations or punishments.
HB 1167, introduced in the Texas House of Representatives on February... (GunPolicy.org)
Utah, Arizona Tipped to Grant Handgun the Status of Official State Firearm
28 February 2011
Atlantic (USA)
State flower, state motto, state song and now … state gun?
Call it shots fired. Two states have officially moved to declare state firearms in 2011, less than two months after the Arizona massacre that left six dead and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) grievously injured on January 8th.
In both states, Utah and Arizona, the bills seem likely to become law.
The Utah legislature took up a bill certifying the Browning Model 1911 automatic pistol as the official gun of Utah... (GunPolicy.org)
Certified Gun Trainer Cheated Applicants, Faces 186 Charges in Kentucky
25 February 2011
WLKY-TV News (Kentucky)
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - A man certified in Kentucky to teach people gun safety has been named in a 186-count indictment.
Authorities said Henry Pruitt signed off on concealed carry permits even though his students were not adequately trained.
Some people even got their permit without ever firing a shot.
That's just one key part of the training that Pruitt is accused of skipping.
The gun range is the final step in eight hours of training needed to qualify for a... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Lawmakers Push Hidden Handguns on Campus - 'Still a Bad Idea'
25 February 2011
Dallas Morning News (Texas), Editorial
The gun agenda is back in the Legislature with the velocity of a speeding bullet.
Proponents are determined, finally, to make it possible for a university student to legally pack a Glock for class along with textbook and iPad.
What an awful idea.
State law contains a list with the heading "Places Weapons Prohibited." Schools and educational institutions are listed first, ahead of courts, polling places, airports and prisons. And there's a common-sense reason for... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawmakers Push for No-Permit Hidden Handgun Carrying in Wyoming
23 February 2011
Associated Press
CHEYENNE — Wyoming residents could carry concealed guns without a permit under a bill that cleared its first hearing in the state House of Representatives on Wednesday.
The House voted 48-8 in favor of the bill after stripping off a proposed committee amendment that would have disallowed people from carrying concealed guns if they were too intoxicated to drive a vehicle. The bill already has passed the Senate and needs two more hearings in the House.
Rep. Jon... (GunPolicy.org)
US Should Follow Canadian Example of Tougher Gun Registration
21 February 2011
News-Press (Florida), Opinion
Taking on the gun lobby is an exercise in futility. No politician - Democrat or Republican - will risk having the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA) campaign against them at election time. It would have been a losing battle especially in the face of the 2008 Supreme Court 5-4 majority opinion in District of Columbia v. Heller which held that the second amendment was not limited to a "well regulated Militia" but secures an individual's right to own firearms.
In... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Rights vs. Gun Control: Arizona Legislators Push to Weaken Gun Law
20 February 2011
Daily Star (Arizona)
It didn't take much effort for the accused gunman in Tucson's Jan. 8 mass shooting to buy a semiautomatic handgun and ammunition - quick trips to the Sportsman's Warehouse and Walmart near his home.
It didn't take long - 15 seconds - for him to shoot 19 people, killing six, when he fired 31 rounds using a high-capacity magazine. That's roughly double the standard number for the Glock pistol he used.
And even if police could go back in time, they wouldn't have been... (GunPolicy.org)
Tucson Shooting Not Cooling Western Arms Ardor as Utah Plans State Gun
18 February 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
Lawmakers from Arizona to Wyoming, the mountain region of Western movies and home to four of the five fastest-growing states, are moving forward with gun laws that would be among the nation's most permissive, undeterred by the shooting of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords.
Arizona, where the shooting took place last month, is considering a proposal to allow firearms on college campuses. Wyoming's Senate passed a bill to authorize residents to carry concealed... (GunPolicy.org)
States at Centre of America's Debate Over Hidden Handguns in Churches
16 February 2011
Deseret News (Utah)
A little more than a month after the Jan. 8 shooting in Tucson, Ariz., that left 6 people dead, gun control has again become a hot-button issue — although not in a form many might have expected.
According to Bloomberg, following the shooting, one-day sales of handguns in Arizona jumped 60 percent to 263 on Jan. 10 compared with 164 on that same Monday in 2009. States like Ohio, California, Illinois and New York also had large jumps in sales, and nationwide sales... (GunPolicy.org)
Wyoming Soon to Be 3rd US State to Scrap Permits for Hidden Handguns?
11 February 2011
Associated Press
CHEYENNE, Wyoming - Wyoming residents would be able to carry concealed guns without a permit under a bill that has cleared a legislative committee.
The House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee voted 8-1 Friday in favor of the bill, sponsored by Casper Republican Senator Kit Jennings. It already has cleared the Senate and now goes to the full House.
The committee amended the bill to specify that people couldn't carry concealed guns while... (GunPolicy.org)
New Law Would Make Illinois the 49th US State to Allow Hidden Handguns
10 February 2011
Telegraph (Illinois)
ALTON — State Rep. Dan Beiser said he is working to bring Illinois in line with 48 other states in co-sponsoring legislation allowing responsible gun owners to carry concealed weapons in public.
"As a legislator, I am always advocating for the protection of the Second Amendment and preserving the right of lawful citizens to own firearms," said Beiser, D-Alton. "For too long, we have been preventing law-abiding citizens from being better able to protect themselves and... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas, 7 Other US States Consider Encouraging More Guns on Campus
4 February 2011
National Public Radio (USA)
Is the answer to mass shootings on college campuses to arm students and staff? Eight states are considering legislation that would allow people to carry a concealed handgun into the lecture hall, the library or the dorm. Ground zero for the debate is Texas, where a proposed law would remove "premises of higher education" as gun-free zones.
"Right now, so-called gun-free zones, I think, ought to be renamed Victims Zones," says state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, a San Antonio... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawmakers in Firearm Frenzy: Utahns Oppose Open Gun Carry on Campus
29 January 2011
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
There can be little doubt a week into the 2011 Legislature that lawmakers like their guns. Love them, really.
Lawmakers opened the session praising Utah weapons pioneer John M. Browning, celebrating a day honoring the state's founding father of firearms and then moving to designate Browning's M1911 as Utah's official gun.
And a House committee approved a bill that would require hotel owners to allow patrons to keep guns in their rooms.
"I think the reason you see so... (GunPolicy.org)
University Presidents Fight 'More Guns in College' Lawmakers in Arizona
26 January 2011
ABC News (USA) / AP
Two weeks after a shooting incident that left six people dead outside a grocery store in Tucson, Ariz., two new bills remain in the Arizona Legislature that would loosen gun controls, specifically on college campuses. Neither proposal sits well with the heads of the state's public universities.
Guns and college campuses simply don't mix, the presidents of Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona say.
If the measures pass,... (GunPolicy.org)
Los Angeles City Council Mulls Ban on Openly Carrying Guns in Public
21 January 2011
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES, California - Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti is asking the city attorney to look into prohibiting the "open carry" of unloaded guns, which is currently allowed by state law.
City News Service says Garcetti on Friday was seconded by six of his City Council colleagues on the motion, which he called necessary in the wake of recent shootings in Tucson and gun-related incidents on LA school campuses this week.
Garcetti says carrying even an... (GunPolicy.org)
Governor of Virginia Quietly Allows Open Carry of Firearms in State Parks
19 January 2011
Washington Post
Gun rights advocates celebrated Wednesday -- and supporters of gun control grieved -- over news that Gov. Robert F. McDonnell has quietly lifted the ban against people carrying firearms openly in state parks.
Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, sent an e-mail blast to fellow gun-rights supporters with news that as of Tuesday people could carry openly. Gun owners with concealed weapons permits had the right to carry in Virginia State... (GunPolicy.org)
With 82 People Shot Each Day, Time To Inject Sanity Into US Gun Debate
19 January 2011
Los Angeles Times, Column
The gun was in a backpack, we're told. The backpack was dropped or set down in a Gardena High School classroom Tuesday morning, and the gun fired accidentally, critically injuring a 15-year-old female student who was struck in the head. A male student, also 15, was shot in the neck.
You send your kids to school, and before the lunch bell rings, they're in the hospital.
So the questions begin.
Why is it so easy to smuggle a gun onto campus? How many more guns are on... (GunPolicy.org)
Openly Carrying Guns, $5million Fine for Doctors Go Too Far in Florida
18 January 2011
News-Press (Florida), Editorial
After the Tucson shootings, one can imagine how potentially provocative it would be for a concealed weapon permit holder to be striding down the street openly carrying a firearm.
Picture the reaction of families when someone enters a restaurant or crosses a university campus with weapon at the ready.
All that and more would be legal under Senate Criminal Justice Chairman Sen. Greg Evers' Senate Bill 234 that would allow concealed-weapons-licensed gun owners to openly... (GunPolicy.org)
Rallies in Richmond, Virginia Target Gun Control Laws From Both Sides
18 January 2011
Virginian-Pilot (Virginia)
RICHMOND - It's one of the most heated debates of our time: Would fewer guns equal fewer killings, or is it just the opposite?
In the shadow of the recent shootings in Arizona, the argument is as contentious as ever. Both sides came to the capital Monday to air their starkly different views to lawmakers.
The face-off, however, was more subdued than in years past. Each camp staged its own rally and kept largely to its own.
The irony of dueling over guns on Martin... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Shooting Fuels Debate About Open-Carry Gun Law in California
17 January 2011
Fox News (USA)
The mass shooting in Tucson last weekend is fueling the gun control debate in neighboring California, with an advocacy organization renewing a push to prohibit firearms in restaurants and state lawmakers taking up a bill that would end the state's open-carry law.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence launched a drive last week challenging restaurants and cafes to exert their private property rights and ban guns in their establishments.
The push formalized a... (GunPolicy.org)
Polls Show More US Support for Weaponry as Gun Control Opinions Chill
16 January 2011
Washington Post, Editorial
The public opinion climate for more regulation of guns is significantly chillier today than it was two or three decades ago. In 1990, 78 percent of the public told a Gallup poll that they felt that the laws covering the sale of firearms should be made stricter; in October of last year, just 44 percent said this. A sizable shift in public sentiment has taken place in just the past two years. The percentage of the public saying it's more important to control gun ownership... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Solution to Arizona Shootings: Hidden Handguns in Classrooms
15 January 2011
Wall Street Journal
The Arizona shooting has emboldened pro-gun groups that plan to lobby politicians for proposed laws that could expand the right to carry concealed weapons on the state's college campuses.
At least two bills are on the table in Arizona, which resumed its legislative session this week. One would allow faculty members to carry concealed weapons on campus. The other would prevent colleges from stopping people with a valid permit, including students, from carrying them on... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Shooting Energizes Push for More Hidden Handguns in Florida
15 January 2011
Miami Herald
TALLAHASSEE -- In the aftermath of Tucson's shooting rampage, lawmakers in Florida are ready to make their stand on guns clearer: They want more people to have the right to carry them in the open and fewer government restrictions.
All told, lawmakers have filed three separate bills that seek to restrict local governments from regulating firearms, stop doctors from even asking patients about them and that allow for licensed gun owners the right to wear firearms outside... (GunPolicy.org)
More Guns Are Not a Solution: Arizona Killings Highlight Hidden Handgun Risk
14 January 2011
Boston Globe, Editorial
Inevitably, the Tucson shootings have reopened the debate on whether Americans would be safer or less safe if gun laws permitted people to carry concealed firearms even — or especially — in places like government buildings or college classrooms. "Concealed carry" is a popular law in Arizona — even injured Representative Gabrielle Giffords supported it — and some backers have suggested that the best defense against future shootings would be to allow civilians to... (GunPolicy.org)
Maryland's Top Court Offers Weak Defense for Strong, Sensible Gun Law
13 January 2011
Washington Post, Editorial
Just days before the rampage in Arizona, the highest court in Maryland issued a ruling that now seems more apt than ever.
The Court of Appeals dealt with a challenge to a Maryland law requiring a gun owner to obtain a permit to carry a weapon in public. In Arizona, no such permit is required. Maryland's concealed-carry law contrasts sharply with Arizona's lack of such a law and is among the strictest in the country, requiring a criminal background check, employment... (GunPolicy.org)
How Glock Became Weapon of Choice for Cops, Gun Hobbyists and Killers
13 January 2011
Business Week / Bloomberg (USA)
For all the anguish and outcry in the days after a community college dropout named Jared Loughner allegedly sprayed a Tucson crowd with 33 bullets from a semiautomatic pistol, one response was notably absent: any sense that America's latest shooting spree, which killed six people and wounded 14, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, would bring new restrictions on the right to own or carry large-capacity, rapid-fire weapons.
The gun control debate has vanished... (GunPolicy.org)
Notion of Pulling Handgun, Shooting Assailant More Fantasy Than Fact
12 January 2011
Boston Globe, Blog
Because of their high-profile nature, mass murders are often exploited to advance some political agenda, and this is especially true when it comes to the role of firearms. Mass shootings have served as ammunition in the debate over gun control, but used, ironically enough, by advocates on both sides of the issue.
In the wake of particularly deadly and widely publicized shootings, gun control proponents have argued that the carnage would not be so great were it not for... (GunPolicy.org)
USA: Our Nation's Insane Refusal to Impose Reasonable Controls on Guns
11 January 2011
Washington Post, Column
We may not be sure that the bloodbath in Tucson had anything to do with politics, but we know it had everything to do with our nation's insane refusal to impose reasonable controls on guns.
Specifically, the rampage had everything to do with a 9mm semiautomatic Glock pistol -- a sleek, efficient killing machine that our lax gun laws allowed an unstable young man to purchase, carry anywhere and ultimately use to shoot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in the head. The weapon also... (GunPolicy.org)
While Some Americans Lawmakers Talk Gun Control, Others Pack Heat
11 January 2011
Fox News (USA)
While some lawmakers are responding to the mass shooting in Arizona by introducing legislation to increase gun control or asking for additional security, others say they're going to start exercising their Second Amendment rights and carry weapons.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, had a permit for a concealed weapon before the Arizona incident that killed six and wounded 14, including Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Chaffetz Press Secretary Alisia Essig told Fox News... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Gun Control Is Dead in America: Democrats Have Ceded to the NRA
11 January 2011
Salon (USA)
As the immediate shock of the mass shooting in Arizona subsides and the conversation turns to gun control, it's becoming increasingly clear that there is little chance that new anti-gun measures will pass the Republican-dominated Congress.
But a picture is also coming into focus of a gun control movement that has been on the retreat for at least a decade, facing setbacks not only in Congress, but also in the courts and in public opinion polls, and of a Democratic Party... (GunPolicy.org)
In Arizona, the Republicans' 'Lunacy Notion' of Packing Heat Didn't Work
10 January 2011
Washington Post, Opinion
The horror in Arizona exposes the lunacy of the notion, popular among Republicans, that a heavily armed populace can stop a deranged gunman.
After the horror at Virginia Tech, in 2007, gun advocates -- overwhelmingly Republicans -- advanced the idea that the massacre might have been cut short if students had been allowed to carry weapons. School policy at Tech forbids students, visitors and most others to have weapons on campus. The Tech massacre even gave rise to an... (GunPolicy.org)
New Hampshire Lawmakers Prioritise Guns in Statehouse Over Economy
10 January 2011
Concord Monitor (New Hampshire), Editorial
For some New Hampshire lawmakers, happiness is a gun warmed by carrying it close to the body. With the state facing a whopping deficit, and despite promises of a laser-like focus on cutting spending, the House's Republican majority chose as its first action to repeal the ban on packing heat in the State House.
New Hampshire is an "open carry" state, which means that an adult can walk the streets with a six-gun on his hip or a shotgun under his arm. But perhaps so as... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona, a State Deeply in Love With Firearms, Promotes Hidden Handguns
10 January 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
BEAUTIFUL, vast, rugged and unforgiving, Arizona's postcard landscape is matched by the frontier mentality of many of its populace: not so much lawless, but deeply conservative, and wedded to the idea that happiness truly is a warm gun.
Its border with Mexico is porous, regularly and easily traversed. Phoenix, its largest city, has become a waypoint for drug and human trafficking.
The state has also been hit hard by the recession, which has helped make it a centre for... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Killer's Gun Legally Purchased: Arizona Laws Among Most Lax in US
9 January 2011
Associated Press
When Jared Lee Loughner went to the Sportsman's Warehouse outlet on Nov. 30, he faced few obstacles to walking away with a Glock 19 semiautomatic handgun. Loughner was making the purchase in Arizona, a state with an Old West culture where gun laws are among the most lenient in the United States.
The 22-year-old passed an instant background check required under federal law for all gun buyers, said Reese Widmer, manager of the Tucson store. A law enacted last year... (GunPolicy.org)
Campaign Wants Teens to Carry Hidden Handguns on Arkansas Campuses
4 January 2011
Southwest Times Record (Arkansas)
The chairman of Arkansas Carry, a firearms rights group, has asked the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to "bring university and college policies in line with current state law allowing students to carry (firearms) on campus."
Steve D. Jones, chairman of the organization, cited in a letter made public Monday what he termed a "confusing discrepancy" between state law and the policies of state higher education institutions regarding firearms.
Jones said while the... (GunPolicy.org)
Wisconsin City Must Pay Woman Arrested for Carrying Handgun in Church
4 January 2011
United Press International
MILWAUKEE - A woman arrested after wearing her gun to church will get $7,500 to settle her lawsuit against the city of Brookfield, Wis., and the officers who arrested her.
Krysta Sutterfield sued the city and the officers after she was arrested in July for attending services at the Unitarian Universalist Church while wearing her holstered handgun, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday.
After the services someone called police and they responded, stopped... (GunPolicy.org)
Have Guns, Will Get Elected In Texas, as 'Politicians Bow at Gun Altar'
30 November 2010
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas), Column
A disagreement.
A fight.
A death.
In Arlington last month, a crowd gathered to watch as a conflict between two women evolved into a fight. One of the women, according to the police report, urged her boyfriend to shoot the other.
The friend pulled his gun and fired several shots, killing a 19-year-old woman and wounding a male bystander.
When this newspaper reported the story, it noted, "This is the third time this month in Tarrant County that a public argument... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Sues to Allow Teens to Carry Hidden Handguns to WalMart
30 November 2010
Washington Post, Editorial
Gun rights advocates have created a cottage industry out of suing to overturn the gun control laws of states and localities - and with real success, including suits against the District and Chicago that have led to landmark Supreme Court rulings. But targeting Texas, home to some of the most gun-friendly laws in the country?
That is exactly what the National Rifle Association has done in challenging a long-standing Texas law that allows only those above the age of 21... (GunPolicy.org)
Encouraging Teens to Carry Hidden Handguns Seen As OK in Nevada
28 November 2010
Las Vegas Review Journal (Nevada), Editorial
The U.S. Supreme Court has been, of late, restoring Second Amendment rights taken away by states and cities -- specifically in the overturning of handgun prohibitions in the Heller case out of Washington, D.C., and the McDonald case from Chicago.
But at what age does the constitutional right to own and carry a handgun accrue?
The National Rifle Association has filed suit in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, challenging federal and Texas laws limiting the right to... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Gun Lobby Campaigns to Allow Teens to Carry Loaded Handguns
26 November 2010
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas)
There's a call to arms in Texas.
Or at least a call to let Texans carry their guns -- whether concealed or out in the open -- at colleges and pretty much anywhere else they'd like in this state.
Less than two months before the Texas Legislature reconvenes in January, gun advocates are already asking state lawmakers for proposals geared to give gun owners more freedom.
"In Texas, there's no viable reason why Texans are denied their rights the way they are," said John... (GunPolicy.org)
Right to Carry Guns in Michigan a Hot Topic After Recent Headlines
2 November 2010
Macomb Daily (Michigan)
Earlier this year, deputies stopped Amir Hudson's vehicle and found a handgun under his front seat. They also found a loaded, semiautomatic AK-47 in his trunk.
Hudson was charged with two weapons offenses, but his attorney argued in court filings that they should be dismissed because they violate his constitutional rights. Prosecutors disagreed.
The case is another recent example of issues involving guns and gun rights being in the public eye.
In the summer, gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handgun Permit Holder Convicted for Shot Fired at Virginia Bar
1 November 2010
WSLS-TV News (Virginia)
The Forest man who accidentally shot himself in the thigh at a Lynchburg restaurant on Sept. 11 was convicted Monday of recklessly handling a firearm.
Wayne Meredith Latham was ordered to pay a $500 fine and give up his concealed carry permit for a year. Judge Edwin Burnette also ordered Latham's .45-caliber Glock 36 surrendered to police to be destroyed. Burnette suspended a 30-day jail sentence so long as Latham remains on good behavior.
Deputy Commonwealth's... (GunPolicy.org)
NY Mayor Funds 'Florida Gun Loophole' Attack on Pennsylvania Candidate
29 October 2010
Philadelphia Inquirer
An unlikely figure has thrown his weight and his wallet behind an attack ad in the Pennsylvania governor's race: New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg.
The billionaire mayor put up $500,000 to underwrite a gun-control group's 30-second commercial urging voters to reject Republican candidate Tom Corbett, and to aid the group's efforts in other Pennsylvania races.
The anti-Corbett spot, financed via Bloomberg's donation to CeaseFire PA, began airing Monday on network and... (GunPolicy.org)
