As it stands currently both version of Permitless Carry that have been submitted MUST be amended to be satisfactory to gun owners in Idaho.
Currently the two bills that exist, House Bill 422 and House Bill 423, have issues that must be resolved or they will take rights away from one group and add an unnecessary penalty to all persons who carry a firearm.
House Bill 422 raises the age limit on those who can carry a firearm from 18-21. The current law allows 18 year olds in the county to have permitless carry. This version would remove that and raise it to 21 for all individuals. Additionally, a subset of individuals was left out (see subsection 11) that need to be added as well. This would make it the best version to put forward. Even if the subset is left out, it could move forward with ISAA support and we would take that fight on another day. But adding more restrictions to those who currently aren’t is NOT acceptable.
House Bill 423 is an improvement compared to its original draft but an issue still exists. With the way it is currently worded, any individual may carry in city limits and inside privately owned buildings unless otherwise prohibited. Two issues arise from this.
As an example, pretend you walked into a ma and pa coffee shop in Boise, Idaho and there was a small window sticker that said, “No Firearms” on it. Pretend that it was placed in the bottom right corner of their window and the size was 3 inches by 3 inches. No person is going to be able to see it but you are in that instance “otherwise prohibited.” If you walk into the store and for whatever reason they can tell you have a gun, they now have grounds to call the cops on you where you can be charged with a misdemeanor in violation of 18-3302.
As it stands, neither of these versions can go forward as written. This isn’t that hard folks. The best bill should be put forward and we can do better.
The ISAA is hereby challenging any legislator to sponsor our version of Permitless Carry. Essentially it will look like HB 422 but with some needed corrections.
You are going to hear things like, “If that Greg Pruett is involved I won’t vote for it,” or “If the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance is involved I can’t support it or vote for it.” We are told many legislators don’t like me and they don’t like you because you demand the best from them. Enough is enough. Force a vote on the issue.
I say that if they are going to hold your rights hostage because of how they feel about me or the 10’s of thousands of Idaho gun owners we represent then let them vote it down publicly and let them say what they have to say publicly about why they voted against it. At least then we will know who is on the right side. Until then, the wishy washy legislators will continue to get away with their anti-gun stances and the “Secret Gun Committee” can give them cover to do it.
We have been reaching out for YEARS and even tried to work with established “pro-gun” people in the state house to no avail. That is why last year we had to do it on our own. No one would stand for what you really wanted. 2016 must be the year that a REAL Permitless Carry bill gets passed or you have to take action in the primaries to hold them accountable.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
You reach out to your legislators right now, House or Senate, and ask them to sponsor a bill the ISAA is proposing. That’s it. That is your challenge right now. If you find one that will put forward the bill we will gladly work with them to make it happen.
Sincerely,
Greg Pruett
President, ISAA