Wednesday, June 22, 2011

And Then There Was One...

Wisconsin State Legislature Passes Landmark Right-to-Carry Legislation
Fairfax, Va. – Both chambers of the Wisconsin state legislature have voted to approve one of the nation’s strongest Right-to-Carry license bills, by solid bipartisan margins. Senate Bill 93, which was strongly backed by the National Rifle Association, now goes to Governor Scott Walker for his expected signature. When signed, it will leave Illinois as the only state that provides no way for citizens to carry concealed firearms for self-protection outside their homes or places of business.
I suppose it would be tacky and partisan of me to point out that Barry was the junior senator from Illinois, no?

Congratulations Wisconsinites. Your time has finally arrived. Now, one that wasn't certain from the article was whether WI would be shall issue or may issue - that's an important distinction to be sure. I wonder if they might get "may issue" as a way to smooth things over with the liberals in Madison and Milwaukee? If WI goes shall-issue, it tips the balance to 37 - 8 - 4 - 1: 37 "Shall-issue" states; 8 "may issue" states, 4 "constitutional carry" states (WY will be joining VT, AK, and AZ this summer), and one lonely state with no provisions for concealed carry whatsoever.

49 states will have some sort of provision for concealed carry. Of those 49, the overwhelming majority are "shall issue" - if you meet the criteria for the permit, you get the license. There is no "discretion" allowed - you either meet the criteria or you don't. There's no subjective reason not to get your permit - unlike the states with "May issue", where you could meet all the criteria, be a model citizen, never had so much as a parking ticket in your entire life, and still be denied your enumerated Second Amendment right - for any reason whatsoever. It could be that the licensing authority doesn't think civilians should carry guns, it could be that the licensing authority doesn't like you; the reason doesn't matter.

With the stroke of a pen, you are unable to exercise your right as enumerated in the Constitution. That's tyranny in anyone's book. It's long past time we started working to abolish discretionary licensing and the utter unfairness of "May issue". Let's get the number of states issuing permits to 50, and let those permits be "shall issue". Please.

Drop a few ducats in the Second Amendment Foundation's bucket if you can spare it, please.

That is all.

10 comments:

MAgunowner said...

Let's hope the streets of Wisconsin don't run red with blood in this audacious, unpredictable concealed carry experiment.

Jay G said...

Okay, that made me literally LOL...

chiefjaybob said...

Jay, if my reading of the law is correct, they will be "shall issue." I'm told they were within striking distance of constitutional carry. Wouldn't that have been something?

Here I am, stuck in the Peoples Democratik Republik. I can almost see freedom from here.......

aczarnowski said...

As a MN resident I'm happy for our neighbors. Now I'm crossing my fingers reciprocity makes any kind of sense.

Mike W. said...

There will be bloodshed! Mark my words!....

Chris said...

Great for them! May issue might as well be not going to issue. It always reminds me of a quote from Blade Runner when Deckard's boss Bryant tries to get him back on the force. Decakrd starts to turn him down and Bryant says
" You know the score, pal. If you're not cop, you're little people."

That pretty much sums it up.

Anonymous said...

And those of us stuck in Illinois are forced again to seek relief from the courts to exercise a basic human right.

Bubblehead Les. said...

50 Constitutional Carry States or Bust!

Well, someday, maybe, in my lifetime....

Jester said...

It is indeed a shall issue situation for when it goes in to effect, though the training requirements are a bit murky and will be the hanging point for it in the liberal areas. And yes, it was very nearly a constitutional carry state, but sadly Walker and a few others said they wanted some sort of training provision added to it. But it is far more than what we had and constitutional carry is still with in striking distance, and with the set up as it is, our permits would be honored by several other states.

Matthew said...

It's shall-issue, a good bill.

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/2011-13Bills/2011_06_09_SB93_LC.pdf

$50 for five years. Renewals are cheaper.

AG to designate list of states with similar permit rules to have reciprocity.

Reciprocal state permittees considered licensed under Wisconsin law for purposes of the Fed. GFSZA.

Training required, but NRA safety course, hunters safety from any state, DD214 military cert, CCW from another state with a training req. will all do just fine. (which will allow for more reciprocity than having no training requirement)

Bar and restaurant carry as long as you're not drinking.

No "newspaper database"

Employers can't ban parking lot storage of CCW.

The only downside is it allows businesses to post enforceable signs, but must be at all entrances and only a fine for punishment.