Since voters in November granted Republicans a majority in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, gun-rights advocates have been hopeful for relief from the issues caused by the inconsistent state laws regarding concealed carry of firearms.
The variation in carry laws from state to state often creates a nightmare for gun owners, making it difficult for them to determine what they need to do to travel legally. A measure introduced last week in the House, however, would significantly simplify this task.
House Resolution 38, introduced late last week by U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-South Carolina, aims to eliminate state-based restrictions on the concealed carry of firearms for self-defense purposes.
The language is not yet available for this session’s Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. However, Rep. Hudson’s similar bill introduced in the last Congress, which faced an uphill battle due to Democrat control of the U.S. Senate, provides us with good clues about its potential content.
That measure would have allowed people with state-issued concealed carry licenses or permits to conceal a handgun in any other state, as long as the permit holder follows the laws of that state. It would also have allowed residents of constitutional carry states the ability to carry in other states.
“H.R. 38 guarantees the Second Amendment does not disappear when crossing an invisible state line,” Rep. Hudson said in a press release upon introducing the measure. “The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act protects law-abiding citizens’ rights to conceal carry and travel freely between states without worrying about conflicting state codes or onerous civil suits. I am especially proud to have such widespread and bipartisan support for this measure as I continue working to get this legislation over the finish line.”
As the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) noted when Rep. Hudson introduced a similar measure in January 2023, the right to keep and bear arms is regulated differently by individual states, unlike other rights protected by the U.S. Constitution. While rights to speech, religion and protections against due process or search and seizure remain consistent and do not stop at state borders, gun rights differ from one state to another.
“Reciprocity agreements exist, but not between all states and are ever-changing,” the report stated. “That puts individuals at risk of running afoul of varying state laws when traveling and crossing borders.”
Naturally, those who have been following the issue of concealed carry reciprocity for some time are well aware that incoming President Donald Trump has promised to sign such a measure if Congress passes it.
“I will sign concealed carry reciprocity,” Trump wrote in his Agenda 47 platform. “Your Second Amendment does not end at the state line.”
The week following his election, President Trump doubled down on that statement.
“I will protect the right of self-defense wherever it is under siege, and I will sign concealed carry reciprocity,” he said in addressing the nation. “Your Second Amendment does not end at the state line.”
Gun owners, who played a significant role in securing a second Trump presidency and a Republican majority in both chambers, should prepare to hold their lawmakers accountable on reciprocity and do the same with the president if the measure reaches his desk. Talking a good game won’t fix the problem posed by a patchwork of state carry laws. This session is the time for action on the matter, and if your representative or senator doesn’t take it seriously, they should be hearing from you regularly.
