Top of PageGun Policy News
Private, hidden handguns mentioned in mass media
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Arizona is Heavily Armed State Where Even a TV Station is Called KGUN
16 January 2011
Miami Herald
TUCSON, Arizona -- At the Frontier Gun Shop toward the east side of this city, Jim Sharrah figures he can outfit you with a quality handgun or rifle, ammunition and pretty much whatever else you need in 15 to 20 minutes.
As long as you're a resident of Arizona and at least 21 without an adjudicated history of violence or mental issues, that's about how long the entire process takes, including the background check. You can walk out with the weapon loaded and tucked... (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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
71 US Campuses Now Allow Students, Staff to Carry Hidden Handguns
9 October 2010
Houston Chronicle (Texas), Opinion
As a civilized society, we naturally find the notion of allowing guns on college campuses to be counterintuitive. Guns are associated with irrational violence, and college campuses are associated with rational thought. Keeping the two separated seems like a matter of common sense.
But counterintuitive doesn't always equal wrong, and as Albert Einstein reportedly said, "Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down by the mind before you reach 18."... (GunPolicy.org)
Utah Gun Lobby Campaigns to Allow Hidden Handguns Without a Permit
8 October 2010
Deseret News (Utah)
SALT LAKE CITY — Gun rights advocates in Utah are pushing a new law that would let residents carry loaded, concealed firearms in public without a permit.
In its newsletter this week, the Utah Shooting Sports Council listed the so-called "Constitutional carry" law as one of its top priorities for the 2011 Legislature, which convenes in January. The council says permits are "little more than bureaucratic permission slips" to exercise Second Amendment rights.
Rep.... (GunPolicy.org)
Kennesaw, Georgia, the Town Where Everyone Must Own a Gun, by Law
24 September 2010
Financial Times (UK)
Kennesaw, Georgia, is Everytown, USA: a mixture of old wooden bungalows and cookie-cutter subdivisions, of seventh-generation locals and Mexican immigrants. Its quaint, cobbled historic centre is lush, with low-hanging trees and chirping cicadas. The civil war museum tells the history of the local Confederate fight against the Yankees. At the suburban malls on a humid Saturday afternoon locals vie to park their SUVs as close as possible to the Target and Best Buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Grim Proof that Hidden Handgun Loophole Needs Closing in Pennsylvania
20 September 2010
Times-Tribune (Pennsylvania), Editorial
Back in March, when 175 Pennsylvania mayors and a broad coalition of police organizations complained about the ease with which people who are denied concealed-carry weapons permits in the commonwealth easily obtain them in Florida, lawmakers and regulators yawned and did nothing.
The gun lobby scoffed, saying that the problem wasn't the ease of obtaining a Florida permit, but that Pennsylvania authorities - especially police in Philadelphia - had been overly zealous in... (GunPolicy.org)
Utah Issued 44,000 Mail Order Hidden Handgun Permits to Out-of-staters
14 September 2010
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah), Editorial
The latest figures are in, ladies and gentlemen, and Utah continues to be the go-to place in the United States for permits to carry concealed handguns. It is understandable why gun enthusiasts in the Legislature would want to provide this permit for Utahns, but it remains baffling why the Beehive State would voluntarily shoulder this regulatory burden for people in 32 other states who have never set foot in this place and probably never will.
We continue to believe... (GunPolicy.org)
Confusion Prevails as New Arizona Law Allows Loaded Guns in Bars
13 September 2010
Daily Sun (Arizona)
Is it legal or illegal to carry a firearm into a bar or restaurant in Arizona that has a liquor license? Yes and no -- sometimes.
Flagstaff police officials say confusion still exists about new gun laws that went into effect last year. They're out to remind residents and bar and restaurant owners who have liquor licenses about what the new laws do and do not allow.
The answer is twofold:
- If you have a concealed carry weapons permit, you may legally enter with a... (GunPolicy.org)
Mail-order Hidden Handgun Permit Loophole Worries Pennsylvania Police
11 August 2010
Philadelphia Daily News
The audience was armed - literally - at a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Upper Darby yesterday to examine a loophole in the state's concealed-weapons laws.
From short, pudgy, middle-aged men to young, slim ones, gun-rights advocates came packing heat to the hearing about what's become known as the "Florida loophole."
Under Pennsylvania's firearms-reciprocity agreements, the state must recognize "concealed-carry" licenses from certain other states, and vice... (GunPolicy.org)
Kansas Republican 'Misfires' on Questionnaire, Earns 'F' Grade from NRA
27 July 2010
Hutchinson News (Kansas)
MONTEZUMA - The National Rifle Association's political arm is drawing fire over the "F" it gave Garrett Love, a Montezuma Republican challenging State Rep. Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, in the 115th House District primary.
"Huge shock," the farm-bred Love said of the grade. In an e-mail statement Monday to The News, Love wrote that he is "VERY" pro-gun and pro-Second Amendment, and expressed frustration over the grade.
Neufeld received an "A-plus" from the NRA's... (GunPolicy.org)
US Cities and States Should Be Able to Regulate Gun Ownership (Pro)
26 July 2010
Victoria Advocate (Texas)
Some Crossroads residents think government control of gun ownership is not necessarily a bad thing.
Former nurse and current college student Laura Light, 47, of Victoria, sees the benefits.
"I don't see what harm it could do," Light said. "The criminals are going to get guns anyway, so we should control those guns that are out there legally."
The economist John Lott, in his 1998 book "More Guns, Less Crime," states that laws which make it easier for law-abiding... (GunPolicy.org)
Relaxed Hidden Handgun Law 'Poses Threats to Public Safety' in Arizona
25 July 2010
Arizona Daily Star, Editorial
Beginning Thursday you can carry a concealed weapon in Arizona without a permit. We hope that if you choose to do so, you will also choose a safety course first - even though the training will no longer be required.
As the Star's Clayton Norman reports today, the state's new liberal weapons law will allow you to tote a firearm in your purse or briefcase or under a jacket without first taking a CCW (carrying a concealed weapon) safety course and getting a permit from... (GunPolicy.org)
British Example Shows a Little Gun Control Would Be Good for America
22 July 2010
Columbia Missourian (Missouri), Opinion
LONDON – America is known for its trendsetting.
It's the land that brought the world McDonald's, Facebook and Lady Gaga. When Americans buy into something, everyone takes notice.
But some hot items are more dangerous than others. A recent article in Marie Claire's UK edition identified one questionable craze: "Across America, firearms are fast becoming a must-have accessory."
Trend alert?
It's long been the stereotype that Brits view America as a gun-toting,... (GunPolicy.org)
41 American States Now Allow Hidden Handguns in Eateries with Alcohol
28 June 2010
Associated Press
Marie Coleman plans to post a sign to alert potential customers at her restaurant in Albuquerque's historic Old Town because of a new state law taking effect next week. Her message: No guns allowed.
Starting Thursday, people licensed to carry a concealed handgun can take their weapons into some New Mexico restaurants that serve beer and wine.
However, restaurant owners and managers can stop it if they place a sign at the entrance prohibiting anyone from bringing a... (GunPolicy.org)
New Missouri Law Forces Retailer to Abandon 6-year Hidden Handgun Ban
17 June 2010
Post Dispatch (Missouri)
The signs barring the carrying of concealed weapons inside Schnucks quietly came down earlier this month — more than six years after they first went up in the grocery chain's Missouri stores following the passage of a state law allowing individuals to carry concealed weapons.
Lori Willis, a Schnucks spokeswoman, said the company's policy change came about during a routine review of its policies.
Schnucks has not barred weapons in four other states — Indiana, Iowa,... (GunPolicy.org)
More Guns = Less Crime, Mexican President 'Bold Faced Liar' Blaming US
16 June 2010
Santa Monica Daily Press (California), Opinion
When I talk with people about my support for sex education in Santa Monica's public schools, I hear cheers at how enlightened I am. I also hear how stupid these people believe religious types are for preaching abstinence. What surprises me is how conservative these sex education proponents become when I bring up the subject of gun education. Firearm education saves lives.
Let's put irrational phobias and emotions aside and look at the facts. In 2004 the Federal Assault... (GunPolicy.org)
Milwaukee Gun Owner Openly Carrying Legal Gun, Robbed at Gunpoint
9 June 2010
TMJ4-TV News (Wisconsin)
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man found out the hard way that carrying a gun for protection doesn't always keep you safe. In fact, it may have made him a target.
The 34-year-old man legally owned a handgun and carried it out in the open in his holster for protection.
Neighbors say they knew he was always armed.
"It was kind of scary to just see him walking around all the time with that gun kind of just out in the open," said Shambria Mayham Autman. She lives near Teutonia... (GunPolicy.org)
Reporter Tests for Gun Show Loopholes, Describes Scene in Minnesota
3 June 2010
City Pages (Minneapolis)
"If there's an unequivocal opposite to growing up around guns," says Andrew Rothman, "it's being raised by New York Jews." He puts down his glass of water and wipes his dark goatee with a napkin. It would be quite the outlandish statement were he not talking about himself.
"I grew up believing guns were bad," he continues. "That's what my parents taught me. But they also taught me to read. That was their first mistake."
Rothman is the executive director of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Business Owners Struggle with Allowing Guns On Their Premises
30 May 2010
Arizona Daily Star (USA)
Gloria DiCenco was chatting amiably with a few Italian speakers at Beyond Bread on North Campbell Avenue on April 20 when armed men began coming in.
First there were two, then more. Finally, maybe 20 people carrying holstered guns and, in some cases, ammunition, arrived and ordered food, DiCenco said. A hush fell over the restaurant, she said, and her group's happy mood turned tense.
It happened that her Italian conversation club crossed paths with a group of local... (GunPolicy.org)
Ohio Senate Passes Bill to Allow Hidden Handgun Carry in Restaurants
28 May 2010
Lancaster Eagle Gazette (Ohio)
COLUMBUS - Senate Bill 239, which clarifies how weapons must be carried in a vehicle and allows concealed weapons to be carried in restaurants that serve alcohol if the licensee is not drinking and only if permitted by the establishment, passed in the Ohio Senate on Thursday.
"SB 239 brings Ohio's concealed carry laws in line with those in many other states while reaffirming law-abiding citizens' constitutional rights to protect themselves and their families," Sen. Tim... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Blast Move to Allow Hidden Handguns in Ohio Restaurants, Bars
27 May 2010
Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
Cleveland police detective Stephen Loomis didn't mince words in blasting a legislative proposal that would allow holders of concealed-carry permits to take guns into bars, sporting events and restaurants that sell alcohol.
"I have spent a career dealing with problems in bars, nightclubs, entertainment-district restaurants and men's clubs, and I can tell you without doubt or hesitation the introduction of firearms … will result in the senseless loss of human life,"... (GunPolicy.org)
