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Bill Allowing Concealed Weapons Without Permits Moves Ahead, with Amendments

AUGUSTA, Maine - A bill that would allow Mainers to carry concealed weapons without a permit is moving through the Maine Legislature, but not without picking up some amendments along the way. After voting 83-62 in favor of the bill, the Maine House added language that requires any person stopped by police to disclose that they have a gun. The Maine Senate must now agree to the new requirement in order for the bill to advance.  

What's known as the "constitutional carry" bill started off as a measure that would allow any legally qualified Mainer to carry a concealed firearm. "Qualified" would only mean those who are not prohibited from carrying a gun for a limited number of reasons, such as having been been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.

But opponents, such as Rep. Janice Cooper, a Yarmouth Democrat, say LD 652 sends the wrong message. "We are teaching our children and ourselves that we have a reason to be afraid every time we walk into a store or into a public place or at work or whatever - this is no way to live," Cooper said.

Rather than be afraid, Maine Sen. Amy Volk, a Scarborough Republican, says one way to inspire a little more confidence in the bill would be to require those who chose to carry a concealed firearm to acknowledge that he or she was provided with a firearm safety brochure when they purchased it. Volk included that requirement in an amendment that was added to the bill.

Still, critics of the bill say that Maine's current concealed weapon permit law is preferable to the constitutional carry bill. Rep. Justin Chenette, a Saco Democrat, offered the example of "John Doe" who has been convicted of misdemeanor assault and domestic assault, and who owns a gun and wants to apply for a concealed weapons permit. With that type of record, Chenette said John Doe would be denied the right to a concealed weapons permit under current law.

"Now, if this bill becomes law, it would be legal for John to carry a concealed carry in public," Chenette said. "Law enforcement can no longer prevent John Doe - a convicted violent criminal with multiple recent convictions and arrests - from carrying a hidden loaded gun in public."

But Rep. Karen Gerrish, a Republican from Lebanon, questioned the logic that current law is the best way to help women and children feel safe. "As a woman and a single mother who supports our right to bear arms, I also feel it allows for women to level the playing field against assailants who aim at harming us or our children," Gerrish said.

Maine's open carry was also faulted for inconsistency during the debate. Rep. James Campbell, an independent from Newfield, said, under Maine law, he has to leave his gun on his car's seat when he leaves the vehicle, instead of being able to lock it up.

"I'd have to leave the gun on the front seat of the car, openly showing, lock the car and come in here," Campbell said. "If some kids went by, what are they going to do? They're going to break the window and probably steal the gun. That's pretty stupid - but if I put it under the seat or lock it in the trunk. I'm concealing it. Now I'm in trouble. So this bill is not really going to blow something big out of the water."

Members of the Maine House then added two amendments to the bill, one that requires a person carrying a concealed firearm to inform police should they be stopped by a law enforcement officer, and a second that would require a person to be 21 years of age in order to carry a concealed weapon before giving it all but final approval.

The Senate must now act on the amended bill.