HB 533 Would Eliminate the Crime of Concealed Carry Without a Permit or Safety Training; Governor Bullock Vetoed Bill With Same Impact – HB 298 – Earlier in Legislative Session
83 Percent of Montanans Support Requiring a Permit to Carry Concealed Handguns in Public
The Montana chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement condemning the passage of House Bill 533, a dangerous piece of legislation that would allow the public carry of concealed handguns with no permit and no safety training. By removing the crime for carrying without a permit, HB 533 eliminates Montana’s concealed weapons permit requirement—and would even allow the public carry of hidden guns by people convicted of sexual assault and other violent crimes. Recent polling shows 83 percent of Montanans support requiring a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public. In addition, HB 533 would also allow people to carry concealed weapons into restaurants that serve alcohol.
The House’s passage of HB 533 comes on the heels of Governor Bullock’s veto of House Bill 298, another dangerous bill that would have also effectively eliminated Montana’s concealed carry permitting system. In his veto letter to the legislature, Governor Bullock called the bill an “absurd concept that threatens the safety our of communities.”
STATEMENT FROM PAMELA OWEN, VOLUNTEER CHAPTER LEADER FOR THE MONTANA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION:
“Today the House defied 83 percent of Montanans who agree that anyone carrying a concealed, loaded handgun in public should first have basic safety training and obtain a permit. If HB 533 is signed into law, it would undo this common-sense system by removing the crime of concealed carry without safety training and a permit. Further, this bill also allows concealed weapons into restaurants that serve alcohol; we know that guns and alcohol simply do not mix. That’s why moms across Montana are now calling on Governor Bullock – as he has already done earlier this legislative session – to veto this dangerous bill. Our nearly 7,600 supporters in Montana are counting on the Governor to once again stand on the side of public safety.”
About Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million supporters and more than 40,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors, and everyday Americans who are fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and help save lives. At the core of Everytown are Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots movement of American mothers founded the day after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow us @Everytown
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of American mothers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. Since its inception after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million members and more than 40,000 donors. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter at @MomsDemand
