Seventeen Attorneys General Released a Letter Opposing “Concealed Carry Reciprocity“, Including New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman
Law Enforcement Organizations Making up the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence and Bipartisan U.S. Conference of Mayors Have Also Opposed “Concealed Carry Reciprocity”
NEW YORK CITY – Volunteers with the New York chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement today, applauding Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman for joining a group of seventeen attorneys general in opposing “concealed carry reciprocity” in a letter to Congress released today.
The letter, signed by attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia states in part that, “Rather than creating a new national standard for who may carry concealed firearms, these bills would elevate the lowest state standard over higher ones and force some States to allow concealed carry by people who do not qualify under their laws. … We fear that, if enacted, these bills inevitable will lead to the death of police officers and civilians, the proliferation of gun traffickers, and acts of terrorism and other mass violence.”
Learn more about concealed carry reciprocity here.
STATEMENT FROM JUNE RUBIN, VOLUNTEER WITH THE NEW YORK CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“As a New Yorker, I am thankful that my attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman is standing up for gun sense by opposing concealed carry reciprocity. This dangerous proposal would force New York to accept the weak gun standards of other states, including those that allow people to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. This is entirely unacceptable. Attorney General Schneiderman’s stand today reminds us we must do all we can to reject dangerous NRA-backed legislation.”
“Concealed carry reciprocity” would force every state to accept the concealed carry standards of every other state, including states with much weaker or nonexistent standards. New York enables law enforcement to block concealed carry by people with dangerous red flags in their history, such as domestic disturbances or assault arrests. However, 25 states don’t give law enforcement that authority, including Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In fact, those three states don’t require a permit at all. Unlike New York, those states allow concealed carry by people with recent violent misdemeanor convictions. Under concealed carry reciprocity, people in a dozen states that don’t even require permits for a person to concealed carry could carry hidden, loaded guns in New York, and in all 50 states.
Under current law, every state determines its own standards for concealed carry, and no state should be forced to allow people to carry concealed handguns who otherwise do not meet the standards they have set for themselves.
Since the mass shooting in Las Vegas, the gun lobby has opposed legislation to improve our gun laws, and has instead repeatedly called for Congress to pass its top priority, “concealed carry reciprocity.”