Earlier this week, my PJ Media colleague (and boss) Paula Bolyard wrote about her home state of Ohio passing constitutional carry for adults 21 years old and up. When the law goes into effect this summer, Ohio will become the 23rd state to enact some sort of constitutional carry.
“Constitutional carry means that the state’s law does not prohibit citizens who can legally possess a firearm from carrying handguns, (openly and/or in a concealed manner) thus no state permit is required,” explains the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA). “Sometimes, constitutional carry may be conditional such as in those states that have no laws prohibiting the open carry of a handgun but which require a permit to carry the handgun concealed.”
In many states, gun owners can still purchase a carry license for reciprocity purposes in other states.
Ohio’s not alone in passing constitutional carry in 2022. In fact, by the beginning of 2023, the U.S. could have a majority of states allowing adults to carry guns without a license.
Gov. Kay Ivey signed Alabama’s law last week, and it will take effect in January. Additionally, three states have laws making their way through the legislature.
Indiana has passed its version of constitutional carry, which is on its way to Gov. Eric Holcomb for a signature. In Nebraska, constitutional carry has passed its first round of votes, but the bill is subject to more votes before it makes its way to Gov. Pete Ricketts’ desk.
Both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly have passed slightly different constitutional carry bills, so it’s now up to the state senate to compare and pass the best version of the legislation. Gov. Brian Kemp has expressed his support for constitutional carry, so he’s sure to sign whatever bill the General Assembly sends him.
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“We shouldn’t have to claw back a civil right, a God-given right to defend ourselves. We shouldn’t have to argue the restrictions placed on government of four simple words ‘shall not be infringed.’ However, people who hate freedom persist, so 21 states have made America safer by passing constitutional carry,” announced NRA Vice President Lt. Col. Willes K. Lee in January. Since then, two more states have signed bills into law.
If Georgia, Nebraska, and Indiana follow through and join Ohio and Alabama, the U.S. will have 26 states that have some form of constitutional carry on the books.
The USCCA states that an individual must be able “to lawfully possess a handgun per Federal law (e.g. not a felon or an individual with a conviction of domestic abuse) and any state requirements” and be “in a place where the person has a legal right to be” in order to carry a handgun.
It’s encouraging to see so many states removing some of the barriers in order to allow more law-abiding citizens to carry firearms. I’m counting on Indiana, Nebraska, and especially my home state of Georgia to bring constitutional carry to a majority of states.
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