A proposed gun law called the “Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act” is making its way through the House. It just passed an important hurdle with a 19-11 vote by the House Judiciary Committee.
The law, which would allow concealed handgun permit holders to travel to any state without having to apply for any other permits, pits arguments about public safety and public policy against each other.
The NRA has said this is about personal safety and simplifying gun laws, while others, like the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence said the bill is “misguided” and “would preempt local and state perspectives on what’s best for communities.”
Beyond the state v. personal rights arguments, what, if any, monitoring mechanisms might be built into a law like this?
Dr. Robert Spitzer is the chair of political science at State University of New York at Cortland and the author of five books on gun policy.
