ME: Constitutional Carry Bill Goes to Governor Paul Le Page

Gun Watch ^ | 1 July, | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

LD 652/SP 245, known as the constitutional carry bill, has been passed out of the special appropriations table, been  approved of in the Senate (again) by a 23 to 12 vote, and will now go to Governor Paul Le Page for signature or veto.   It does not appear that the legislature will be in session for three consecutive days in July, so if Governor Le Page does not sign the bill, it will not become law.

Governor Le Page said that he would not sign the bill if it required Maine residents under the age of 21, on active duty, to obtain a concealed carry permit to carry concealed arms.   The bill did not require a permit for people who could legally own a firearm, who were 21 or older.  The bill was modified to meet Governor Le Page's objections.

It is widely believed that the Governor will sign the bill into law.  He will have 10 days, not counting Sundays, to do so.

If Governor Le Page signs the bill, Maine will join Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Wyoming, and Vermont, as constitutional carry, or permitless carry states.  In those states, a permit is not required to carry a weapon, openly or concealed, as was the case in the United States when the Bill of Rights was ratified.  Montana and Mississippi are sometimes counted as constitutional carry states.  In Montana, a permit is not required in 99% of the state; in Mississippi, a permit is not required to carry openly or concealed in a fully enclosed container, such as a purse, bag, backpack, fannypack, or full flap holster.

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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[marktwain]

There are close to as many states with constitutional carry as there are "may issue" states.

[Poser]

I hope this applies to out of staters as well. It’s a pain in the butt to have to leave the guns at home every time I go shopping in Maine. (I live in a NH border town)

[marktwain]

If you have a N.H. permit, they passed a separate bill expanding reciprocity.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2015/06/maine-expands-concealed-carry.html

[montag813]

America's Governor Paul LePage.

In just the past 6 months, he has slashed aid to cities who give welfare to illegal aliens, forced welfare sponges to work - leading to an astonishing 80% reduction in the welfare rolls, and now is about to sign the carry bill he demanded.

[Steven Scharf]

“I hope this applies to out of staters as well. It’s a pain in the butt to have to leave the guns at home every time I go shopping in Maine. (I live in a NH border town)”

Yes, if you are legally allwed to own a hand gun in Maine, you do not have to be a Maine resident for this to apply.

Why would someone who lives in New Hampshire shop in Maine? Mainers living near the border go to NH to save on on the tax.

[School of Rational Thought]

going to be arming a lot of illegal immigrants in Maine

[zeugma]

If only Texas could get rid of Strauss, we could have CC too.

[RC one]

The problem for a lot of non-residents will be driving with a handgun through New York, New Jersey, and/or Massachusetts to get to Maine. FOPA may keep you out of trouble or maybe not.

[RC one]

Which is worth remembering anytime you find yourself comparing the increasing incidence of concealed carry permits with the decreasing violent crime rate. There are far more people carrying concealed handguns than one might infer by strictly looking at the number of permits issued since states like Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Vermont, Wyoming, and now Maine do not issue concealed carry permits to their citizens.

That being the case, the comparison is even more stark and the conclusions are even more undeniable.

[Steven Scharf]

Maine will continue to issue permits, it just will not require one to carry concealed in Maine. Residents going to some other states will need a permit to effect receproicity.

[Steven Scharf]

“In just the past 6 months, he has slashed aid to cities who give welfare to illegal aliens, forced welfare sponges to work - leading to an astonishing 80% reduction in the welfare rolls, and now is about to sign the carry bill he demanded. “

Two corrections to this statement. The cut off began a year ago and does not apply to illegal aliens as they were alrady prohibited from recieving SNAP, TANF and General Assitance. The change applied to refugees and asylum seekers who are technically here legally, but are just prohibited from working for at least six months after applying for asylum. They are consided inelligbles or non qualified.

The City of Portland, Maine has chosen to violae federal law and provide local funds to continue to fund general assistance* for those who were already recieving assistance.

* SNAP and TANF are adminstered by the state and continued funding of that was written into the state budget. Paul LePage could not stop tht other than to veto the budget which he did. The veto was overridden on Wednesday.

[RC one]

That's reasonable. also of note:

Next Wednesday, May 27, the Ohio House State Government Committee is scheduled to hear and accept proponent testimony on House Bill 152, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 121.

As previously reported, this NRA-backed “constitutional/permitless carry” legislation, sponsored by state Representatives Ron Hood (R-78) and Thomas Brinkman, Jr. (R-27), will recognize the right of those who are 21 and older to carry a concealed firearm, without a permit, granted they are not prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. This legislation also specifies that an otherwise law-abiding person carrying a firearm may not be searched or detained, and their firearm may not be seized, regardless of the time period. HB 152 would leave the current carry permit process in place for those who wish to take part in state reciprocity agreements.

[Bottom_Gun]

My son was glad to see the changes in the age requirement. He was mad that in the original writing at 20 he could own a pistol, but not carry it under under the bill. I think the gov was right in saying he would veto the bill if that didn’t change!

[Steven Scharf]

“at 20 he could own a pistol, but not carry it under under the bill.”

Only if he is in the military. But you note an unintended consequence of the compromise made. The orginal bill allowed all to carry oncealed. It was amended in committee to allow only over 20, the gov vowed to veto that. The compromise was made to allow miliary folks to carry concealed. The bill passed that way and is just waiting for the governor’s signature. He has publicly said he will sign it and they are planning special ceremony.

This is in an atomosphere of polticans where he have vetoed virtually every bill that has reached his desk. Most of his veto letters have been quite humorous and scathing of the legislature. Here is a link to his budget veto letter.

http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/paul-lepage-veto-budget-letter

[Poser]

“Why would someone who lives in New Hampshire shop in Maine? Mainers living near the border go to NH to save on on the tax”

Three words: Kittery Trading Post
Three more: L L Bean
(Is an L a word?)