Dr. John Lott has a new op-ed at Townhall on the national concealed carry reciprocity bill, which has passed the House Judiciary Committee and is headed to the House floor.
Picture a single woman driving across state lines at night, fearful that her car will break down and leave her vulnerable. Or imagine a truck driver hauling valuable cargo across the country. In states like California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Oregon—which are among ten states that refuse to recognize concealed handgun permits from other states—these travelers risk being defenseless. Nine states either completely deny or severely limit non-residents’ ability to obtain a permit at all.
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee advanced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Actand is headed to the House floor. This bill would let anyone legally permitted to carry a concealed handgun in their home state do so across state lines—essentially treating concealed carry permits like driver’s licenses.
With 21.5 million concealed handgun permit holders in the U.S., the bill would make a major impact.
For most Americans, this kind of reciprocity already exists. The average state honors permits from 30 other states, allowing concealed carry permit holders to travel freely with their firearms.
Also on Tuesday, Democrats voted against another bill that would allow current and retired law enforcement officers with at least ten years of experience to carry in facilities open to the general public, including schools, when they travel across the country. So it isn’t too surprising that they were upset about a bill that would allow civilians to carry across state lines.
During the markup of the concealed carry bill, Democrats couldn’t cite any evidence but still voiced fears that permit holders commit crimes at high rates. In fact, permit holders are exceptionally law-abiding. They lose their licenses for firearm-related violations at rates of thousandths or tens of thousandths of one percentage point. Police rarely commit crimes, but concealed handgun permit holders are even more law-abiding, facing a revocation rate for firearms offenses that is just one-twelfth the rate of the rate that police are convicted of firearms related crimes. Police rarely commit crimes, but concealed handgun permit holders break the law even less often. Their licenses are revoked for firearms offenses at just one-twelfth the rate that police are convicted of similar crimes.