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Title: W.Va. Senate OKs bill to allow concealed carry without permit
Source:
The Charleston Gazette
URL Source: http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20150227/GZ01/150229285
Published: Mar 3, 2015
Author: Eric Eyre
Post Date: 2015-03-03 18:58:33 by Hondo68
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Keywords: inherent right, God given CCW, natural rights
Views: 33808
Comments: 113
Senators approved a bill Friday that could make West Virginia the sixth state to allow residents to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. After reading aloud from the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, senators voted 32-2 for a bill (SB347) that allows people 18 and older to tote concealed guns. “The bill eliminates the crime of carrying a concealed weapon in West Virginia,” said Sen. Charles Trump, R-Morgan. The legislation next goes to the House of Delegates. Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Vermont and Wyoming are the only states that allow residents to carry a hidden gun without a permit. West Virginia already allows open carry of a handgun without a permit. West Virginia law enforcement officials have expressed concern about the bill. They said the legislation could put officers more at risk. They also noted that the weapons-permit fees generate funds for sheriff’s departments across the state. Last year, the permits raised $3.4 million for the departments. However, senators who supported the bill kept coming back to the Second Amendment. “This is a United States constitutional right,” said Robert Karnes, R-Upshur. “The Second Amendment recognizes this inherent right.” Sens. Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, and Ron Miller, D-Greenbrier, voted against the bill. Sen. Mike Romano, D-Harrison, supported the concealed-carry permit repeal, but first offered what he called “common-sense” revisions that his colleagues ultimately rejected. Romano wanted to require that residents be at least 21 years old before they could carry a handgun without a permit. “To carry a .357 Magnum, we really should require them to be 21 years of age,” Romano said. But other senators said a 21-and-up age limit was “arbitrary.” “At the age of 18, we’re talking about parents of small children,” Karnes said. “And we’re going to say an 18-year-old who is able to enter into the contract of marriage, to have children, is not responsible enough to defend the family that he has?” Romano also wanted to require people to take a handgun safety course before they could carry a concealed weapon. Karnes argued that the training requirement was a “backdoor licensing scheme,” and senators voted down the amendment. Romano later voted for the bill that didn’t include any of his suggested changes. “I concluded long ago that the permitting process through the sheriff’s department is simply a hurdle for law-abiding citizens who carry a gun,” Romano said. “Criminals will carry a gun regardless of the process.”
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 71.
#41. To: hondo68, GrandIsland, tpaine, redleghunter (#0)
So what would you think of a mandatory one time class that would teach you how to carry and use a handgun responsibly? Especially the legal aspects of your actions if you have to use it. There are some people out there who have no clue whatsoever and would be more dangerous to innocents than to bad guys.
I don't mind the idea... I'm concerned in two areas over the idea. 1) Can we trust any government, Fed, State or local, that hosts such a training, to not track or compile personal info from class applicants, for the purpose of knowing who is armed with handguns? 2) Who pays for the training, and I don't want another government agency responsible for the task or an existing growing bigger to handle the task. If those can be solved, great idea. I've seen some pretty poor firearm handling skills in my time.
The person who wants to carry the weapon, somewhere around $75 - 125 which is the current typical cost for CCW training. For those who are proficient they could demonstrate that at the beginning of the class, and would only have to sit thru the lectures and be charged less. If you are a beginner then you have to go thru both the lectures and safety training and pay the full fee.
You can't begin to imagine how thrilled I was to have a 21 year old deputy try to jump in my stuff during the qualifications part on the range. He said I "shot too fast" during the "3 shot rapid fire" portion of the qualification and that "shooting wild like that endangers bystanders." Keep in mind I was shooting a much modified Combat Commander that I built myself,and was shooting my own handloads. When I pointed out to him all my shots were in the black,he didn't know what to say. The retired Colonel that was running the range came over to look and listen,and just told the guy to leave me alone. I was doing a lot of snap shooting at that time,and was shooting that combination so much I normally kept 1,000 loaded rounds laying around,and another 1,000 empty cases in a box by my tv chair so I could prime them while watching tv. I practiced by tossing golf balls around in the yard,and the spinning around and taking snap shots at them as quickly as I could move the muzzle and pull the trigger. I have shot running snakes 15-20 feet away with that combination. And this kid was coming over to tell me I didn't know what I was doing and that I was doing unsafe things. And the worse part was I had to pay him 125 bucks to listen to his crap.
#83. To: sneakypete (#71)
The range I go to frowns on those that like to rapid shoot, they give you the "evil eye" if you do.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestSenators approved a bill Friday that could make West Virginia the sixth state to allow residents to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
#42. To: CZ82 (#41)
So what would you think of a mandatory one time class that would teach you how to carry and use a handgun responsibly? Especially the legal aspects of your actions if you have to use it.
#67. To: GrandIsland (#42)
2) Who pays for the training, and I don't want another government agency responsible for the task or an existing growing bigger to handle the task.
#71. To: CZ82 (#67)
For those who are proficient they could demonstrate that at the beginning of the class, and would only have to sit thru the lectures and be charged less.
Replies to Comment # 71. He said I "shot too fast" during the "3 shot rapid fire" portion of the qualification and that "shooting wild like that endangers bystanders."
End Trace Mode for Comment # 71.
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