The Alabama House of Representatives could vote soon on legislation to eliminate the requirement for a person to get a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public.
House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said there is a good chance representatives will vote on the bill as early as Tuesday. The bill would do away with permits to carry a handgun in public under clothes or in a purse or bag.
It would also remove the current requirement for people without concealed carry permits to keep handguns unloaded and secured when driving.
Gun-rights groups argue that people shouldn’t have to get a permit and pay a fee to carry a handgun they legally own. Law enforcement officials argue that the permits provide a crucial tool to combat crime and enhance public safety.
State sheriffs and other law enforcement officials have opposed the legislation, arguing that the permits provide a crucial tool to combat crime and enhance public safety.
There are 21 states that allow concealed weapons in public without a permit, according to Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trust. If approved in the House, the bill will then go to the Senate.
