Alabama lawmakers are headed to an afternoon of contentious debate as representatives take up a proposal to allow people to carry concealed handguns without a state permit.
The bill to do away with the permit requirement is at the top of a debate agenda in the Alabama House of Representatives. The agenda also has two other controversial bills. One proposal would change the definition of a riot and the penalties for participating in a riot. The other would require K-12 students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with the gender listed on their original birth certificate.
To avoid an anticipated filibuster from opposed lawmakers, legislative leaders are seeking to limit debate on each bill to two hours.
House Republicans, who hold a lopsided majority in the chamber, have named the handgun bill as a priority for the year. The bill would do away with the requirement to get a concealed carry permit to carry a handgun concealed under clothes or in a purse or bag. It would also do away with the current requirement for people without concealed carry permits to keep handguns unloaded and secured when driving. People could still choose to get a permit if they wanted to do so.
The permitless carry bill has been championed by gun-rights groups who argue that people should not have to get a permit, which requires paying a fee, to carry a handgun they legally own. State sheriffs and other law enforcement officials have opposed the legislation, arguing that the permits provide a crucial tool to combat crime and enhance public safety.
There are 21 states that allow concealed weapons in public without a permit, according to Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trust. If approved in the House, the bill will then go to the Senate.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
