AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) _ A Maine Republican senator wants to allow residents to carry concealed handguns without getting a permit.
Sen. Eric Brakey of Auburn says that nearly 100 lawmakers, including members of both parties, have signed onto his proposal. Officials have not yet scheduled a date for a public hearing on the bill.
The measure would make it legal to carry a gun without a permit if a person is already eligible to own a gun. Brakey says that similar laws are in place in several states, including Vermont and Oklahoma.
Brakey says it's a ``moderate proposal'' that would restore the rights provided by the Second Amendment.
A similar effort failed in the Democrat-controlled Senate last year. Republicans now hold the majority in the chamber, but Democrats remain in power in the House.