Latest Concealed Carry Law Updates From Around The Country

By Dan Zimmerman. Republished with permission from TheTruthAboutGuns.com

Gary Slider of handgunlaw.us sends these updates to state laws:

South Dakota – Effective July 1, 2015  HB1215  expands South Dakota’s CCW Law with an enhanced carry permit. This permit is just the same as the regular permit South Dakota issues but will require fingerprints, training and a NICS Check. Cost is the same as the regular permit, but the applicant must pay for the additional costs of fingerprints etc. South Dakota is doing this . . .

for reciprocity purposes. The enhanced permit will most likely be honored by more states which give the residents of South Dakota a choice. South Dakota will also consider a spouse of a service member whose home of record is South Dakota as a resident of the state and they can apply for a South Dakota permit when living out of state.

Georgia –  Effective July 1 polling places will only be off limits to concealed carry while an election is being held. (From my understanding some buildings used as polling places were off limits all the time and not just during elections.) Georgia amended their laws on off limits places. Their law used to specify that  “all government buildings” were off prohibited. It will change to “(1) In a government building as a nonlicense holder.”  Georgia’s definition of a government building is:

(2) ‘Government building’ means:

(A) The building in which a government entity is housed;

(B) The building where a government entity meets in its official capacity; provided, however, that if such building is not a publicly owned building, such building shall be considered a government building for the purposes of this Code section only during the time such government entity is meeting at such building; or

(C) The portion of any building that is not a publicly owned building that is occupied by a  government entity. (At this time I am not sure how this is going to work if they have security at a government building. Check your firearm or be able to pass through? Also it could be off limits if it was a polling place during voting in an election).

Maryland – Effective October 1, 2015, concealed carry is expanded to a person who has retired as a law enforcement officer in good standing from a law enforcement agency of the United States, the state, or a local unit in the state who is a parent, guardian, or visitor of a student attending a school located on the public school property, provided that: the officer or retired officer is displaying the officer’s or retired officer’s badge or credential; and the weapon carried or possessed by the officer or retired officer is concealed; and the officer or retired officer is authorized to carry a concealed handgun in the state. This doesn’t mean anything to us concealed carry holders, but it’s a start and this is the state of Maryland. Let’s Hope!

Florida – The Florida governor signed SB290 which, effective immediately, allows for permitless carry by those who can legally own a firearm during a “mandatory evacuation ordered during a declare emergency.” The mandatory evacuation can come from the governor or a local authority. It just covers the movement away from the area and is in effect for 48 hours. The governor can extend that time period. You can read the bill here.

Washington DC – The U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction to stop DC from their “good cause” requirement to obtain a DC permit to carry. There is another hearing scheduled for July 7 to “discuss an expedited schedule for the resolution of this case.” The DC Chief of Police stated they would no longer apply good cause criteria to applicants with this preliminary injunction in place and have also not made a decision on appealing the ruling. Handgunlaw.us sees nothing different happening in DC on issuing until after the July hearing.

Minnesota – Effective Date August 1, 2015  Authority to seize and confiscate firearms is not allowed during declared states of emergency. Reciprocity wording changed from “substantially similar” to “similar.” This should gain Minnesota more reciprocity with more states. Having a concealed carry permit will imply that notification has been given to the commissioner of public safety when entering the capitol complex. The bill is long as these changes were amended into a spending bill.

Changes in the above laws will be added to their respective state pages at www.handgunlaw.us  On their effective date.