Posted on 11/06/2017 7:59:15 AM PST by marktwain
According to concealedcarry.com, there are two states that ban concealed carry in churches, Nebraska and Louisiana. Nebraska allows a church to authorize an armed security team if the team members have carry permits and if written notice is given to church members. Louisiana law is similar but requires an extra eight hours of training every year. Seven states and D.C. that require the permission of a church leader to conceal carry firearms in church, and 41 states where carry in churches is treated the same as any other private property.
Of the 41 states that treat churches the same as other private property, eight are “may issue” states, where the permit-issuing authority can deny the exercise of the Second Amendment for almost any reason. Those states are California, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Within these states, the issuance of permits ranges from almost none in Hawaii and New Jersey, to fairly large numbers, as in upstate New York and Massachusetts.
There are 13 states that do not require a permit to carry concealed. They are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and West Virginia.
The State of Concealed and Open Carry in Churches
Open carry is legal in most states. Only five states prohibit the open carry of holstered handguns in most public places. Those states are California, Florida, Illinois, New York and South Carolina. 26 States do not infringe on the right to openly carry firearms. Six states infringe on open carry in a few specific areas. Pennsylvania requires a permit for Philadelphia, Colorado requires
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Look for more churches to arm and security up.
I can understand making carrying a gun in a school or government building illegal but not a privately run church.
Yes, it is happening.
My brother carries in a church the size of the one attacked in Texas. The pastor supports him.
I gave the pastor his first gun. Now he and his wife have five, and he is a big Second Amendment supporter.
If there is separation of church and state how can a state government pass a law telling a church what they can and cannot do?
I have made that point myself. I expect the laws in Nebraska and Louisiana to fall.
I’ve been CCW at church for some time now. At first my wife protested, after yesterday I told her “now you know why I CCW at church”.
No reason to excerpt, just include this:
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
I have an agreement with Ammoland.
You may post as you wish.
I believe this post is incorrect regarding Virginia. The last time I read the law, it said that concealed carry in Virginia is illegal during worship services, but legal at other times. Many churches use their buildings for additional purposes, which would apply to the second case.
Thank-you for your response.
All this goes back to when folks had to start to lock churches up for the when not in use to prevent from being broken in.
Ohio here, and my church openly encourages anyone who has a CCW to carry in church/services.
The law includes the phrase “without good and sufficient reason”, which leaves a lot of interpretation leeway.
After the Sutherland shooting, it will be hard for a prosecutor to argue that defense of self and others is not a “good and sufficient reason”.
Here is the citation of the law:
§ 18.2-283. Carrying dangerous weapon to place of religious worship.
If any person carry any gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger or other dangerous weapon, without good and sufficient reason, to a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held at such place he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/18.2-283/
In GA you can CC in church unless the church individually opts out.
Code of Virginia
§ 18.2-283. Carrying dangerous weapon to place of religious worship. If any person carry any gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger or other dangerous weapon, without good and sufficient reason, to a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held at such place he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.
Louisiana may have that stupid law on the books, but without a doubt, it’s being totally ignored. Laws & signs tend to get ignored when lives are at stake.
My buddies’ Calif Gold Country non-denominational Church has open carry security volunteers in the parking lot and at the entrance.
They seat about 250 for each service.
Most are cops or ex cops that carry.
It’s time to arm up folks.
This is not correct for Wyoming either. In Wyoming it is unlawful to carry concealed or open in the place of worship without written permission.
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