DixieDestroyer
04-18-2010, 08:31 PM
This is the way is supposed</span> to be, and a nod to our 2nd Amendment rights! smileys/smiley32.gif
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<h1 id="yn-title">Arizona to allow concealed weapons without
permit</h1>
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<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Gov-Jan-Brewer/photo//100407/480/urn_publicid_ap_org3b902faf2bde4851af8d5ea42966c18 2//s:/ap/20100416/ap_on_re_us/us_xgr_concealed_weapons_arizona" class="media " target="_blank">
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100407/capt.3b902faf2bde4851af8d5ea42966c182-3b902faf2bde4851af8d5ea42966c182-0.jpgx=213&y=313&xc=1&yc=1&wc=278&hc=409&q=85&sig= 2tf4MVLFc6WqSUpy7hg4oA--
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<cite ="caption">
AP–An Arizona made AR-15 is pulled from the display at
Caswells Shooting Range Tuesday, April 6, 2010 in… </cite>
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By PAUL DAVENPORT and JONATHAN J. COOPER, Associated Press
Writers Paul Davenport And Jonathan J.
Cooper, Associated Press Writers</span>
</cite>
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<abbr title="2010-04-16T16:39:59-0700" ="timedate">FriApr16,
7:39pmET</abbr></div>
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PHOENIX – Favoring the constitutional right to bear arms</span> over
others' concerns about gun
safety</span>, Gov. Jan
Brewer</span> on Friday signed into law a bill making Arizona</span> the third state
allowing people to carry a concealed weapon without requiring a permit.
The measure takes effect 90 days after the current
legislative session ends, which likely puts the effective date in July
or August.
"I believe this legislation not only protects the Second Amendment rights</span>
of Arizona citizens, but restores those rights as well," Brewer, a
Republican, said in a statement.
Alaska and Vermont now do not require permits to
carry concealed weapons.
By eliminating the permit requirement, the Arizona
legislation will allow people 21 or older to forego background checks</span> and
classes that are now required.
Supporters say the bill promotes constitutional
rights and allows people to protect themselves from criminals, while
critics worry it will lead to more shootings as people with less
training have fewer restrictions on carrying weapons.
Some police officials are concerned the law will lead
to more accidental gun discharges from people untrained in firearm
safety, or that shooters in stressful situations will accidentally
strike innocent bystanders with stray bullets.
"I know a lot of 21-year-olds; the maturity level is
gravely concerning sometimes," said El Mirage Police Chief Mike Frazier,
an Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police board member</span>. "If you're going to be
carrying a weapon you should know what the law is and how to use it."
However, the measure was supported by police unions
representing rank-and-file officers, who said their best friend on the
streets is a law-abiding citizen equipped to protect themselves or
others.
The police chiefs group initially opposed the bill
but then took a neutral stance after some provisions were changed at
their request. Brewer's office also participated in negotiations on
changes to the bill.
A Democratic leader, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, of Phoenix,
said the bill deprives law enforcement of a tool "to separate good guys
from the bad guys." With a permit requirement, police encountering a
person with a concealed gun but no permit had reason to suspect that
person was not a law-abiding citizen, she said.
The Arizona Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights
group that lobbied for passage of the "constitutional carry" bill, said
gun owners foregoing permits still should get training. "The heaviest
thing about wearing a firearm is the responsibility that comes with it,"
the group said.
Arizona's permissive gun laws</span> gained national attention last year
when a man openly carried a semiautomatic rifle to a Phoenix protest
outside a speech by President Barack Obama.
Nearly all adults can already carry a weapon openly
in Arizona</span>, and
supporters of looser laws argue that gun owners shouldn't face
additional restrictions just because they want to hide the weapon.
Currently, carrying a hidden firearm without a permit
is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of
up to $2,500.
Forty-five other states require permits for hidden
guns, and two states — Illinois and Wisconsin</span> — prohibit them altogether.
Federal
law</span> requires anyone buying a gun from a licensed dealer to
undergo a background check, but that requirement does not apply to sales
by individuals who aren't dealers. Arizona's law won't change that.
Under the Arizona legislation, people carrying a concealed weapon</span>
will be required to tell a police officer</span> that if asked, and the
officer can temporarily take the weapon while communicating with the
person.
More than 154,000 people have permits to carry a concealed weapon in
Arizona.
The bill acted on by Brewer was the first attempt to lift the permit
requirement to reach an Arizona governor's desk.
Brewer's predecessor, Democrat
Janet Napolitano</span>, in 2007 vetoed two related bills. One would
have reduced penalties for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.
The other would have allowed a person without a permit to carry a gun
largely concealed as long as any part of it or its holster was visible.
Brewer in 2008 signed into law a bill allowing a person with a permit to
take a gun into a restaurant or bar serving alcohol as long as the
establishment doesn't prohibit it and the person isn't drinking alcohol.
Napolitano vetoed a similar bill in 2005. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100416/ap_on_re_us/us_xgr_conce (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100416/ap_on_re_us/us_xgr_concealed_weapons_arizona) aled_weapons_arizona
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</div>
<div ="hd">
<h1 id="yn-title">Arizona to allow concealed weapons without
permit</h1>
</div>
<div ="bd">
<div id="yn-story-related-media">
<div ="primary-media">
<div id="yn-story-main-media" ="ult-section yn-style1">
<div ="">
<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Gov-Jan-Brewer/photo//100407/480/urn_publicid_ap_org3b902faf2bde4851af8d5ea42966c18 2//s:/ap/20100416/ap_on_re_us/us_xgr_concealed_weapons_arizona" class="media " target="_blank">
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100407/capt.3b902faf2bde4851af8d5ea42966c182-3b902faf2bde4851af8d5ea42966c182-0.jpgx=213&y=313&xc=1&yc=1&wc=278&hc=409&q=85&sig= 2tf4MVLFc6WqSUpy7hg4oA--
</a>
<cite ="caption">
AP–An Arizona made AR-15 is pulled from the display at
Caswells Shooting Range Tuesday, April 6, 2010 in… </cite>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div ="byline">
<cite ="vcard">
By PAUL DAVENPORT and JONATHAN J. COOPER, Associated Press
Writers Paul Davenport And Jonathan J.
Cooper, Associated Press Writers</span>
</cite>
–
<abbr title="2010-04-16T16:39:59-0700" ="timedate">FriApr16,
7:39pmET</abbr></div>
<div ="yn-story-content">
PHOENIX – Favoring the constitutional right to bear arms</span> over
others' concerns about gun
safety</span>, Gov. Jan
Brewer</span> on Friday signed into law a bill making Arizona</span> the third state
allowing people to carry a concealed weapon without requiring a permit.
The measure takes effect 90 days after the current
legislative session ends, which likely puts the effective date in July
or August.
"I believe this legislation not only protects the Second Amendment rights</span>
of Arizona citizens, but restores those rights as well," Brewer, a
Republican, said in a statement.
Alaska and Vermont now do not require permits to
carry concealed weapons.
By eliminating the permit requirement, the Arizona
legislation will allow people 21 or older to forego background checks</span> and
classes that are now required.
Supporters say the bill promotes constitutional
rights and allows people to protect themselves from criminals, while
critics worry it will lead to more shootings as people with less
training have fewer restrictions on carrying weapons.
Some police officials are concerned the law will lead
to more accidental gun discharges from people untrained in firearm
safety, or that shooters in stressful situations will accidentally
strike innocent bystanders with stray bullets.
"I know a lot of 21-year-olds; the maturity level is
gravely concerning sometimes," said El Mirage Police Chief Mike Frazier,
an Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police board member</span>. "If you're going to be
carrying a weapon you should know what the law is and how to use it."
However, the measure was supported by police unions
representing rank-and-file officers, who said their best friend on the
streets is a law-abiding citizen equipped to protect themselves or
others.
The police chiefs group initially opposed the bill
but then took a neutral stance after some provisions were changed at
their request. Brewer's office also participated in negotiations on
changes to the bill.
A Democratic leader, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, of Phoenix,
said the bill deprives law enforcement of a tool "to separate good guys
from the bad guys." With a permit requirement, police encountering a
person with a concealed gun but no permit had reason to suspect that
person was not a law-abiding citizen, she said.
The Arizona Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights
group that lobbied for passage of the "constitutional carry" bill, said
gun owners foregoing permits still should get training. "The heaviest
thing about wearing a firearm is the responsibility that comes with it,"
the group said.
Arizona's permissive gun laws</span> gained national attention last year
when a man openly carried a semiautomatic rifle to a Phoenix protest
outside a speech by President Barack Obama.
Nearly all adults can already carry a weapon openly
in Arizona</span>, and
supporters of looser laws argue that gun owners shouldn't face
additional restrictions just because they want to hide the weapon.
Currently, carrying a hidden firearm without a permit
is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of
up to $2,500.
Forty-five other states require permits for hidden
guns, and two states — Illinois and Wisconsin</span> — prohibit them altogether.
Federal
law</span> requires anyone buying a gun from a licensed dealer to
undergo a background check, but that requirement does not apply to sales
by individuals who aren't dealers. Arizona's law won't change that.
Under the Arizona legislation, people carrying a concealed weapon</span>
will be required to tell a police officer</span> that if asked, and the
officer can temporarily take the weapon while communicating with the
person.
More than 154,000 people have permits to carry a concealed weapon in
Arizona.
The bill acted on by Brewer was the first attempt to lift the permit
requirement to reach an Arizona governor's desk.
Brewer's predecessor, Democrat
Janet Napolitano</span>, in 2007 vetoed two related bills. One would
have reduced penalties for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.
The other would have allowed a person without a permit to carry a gun
largely concealed as long as any part of it or its holster was visible.
Brewer in 2008 signed into law a bill allowing a person with a permit to
take a gun into a restaurant or bar serving alcohol as long as the
establishment doesn't prohibit it and the person isn't drinking alcohol.
Napolitano vetoed a similar bill in 2005. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100416/ap_on_re_us/us_xgr_conce (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100416/ap_on_re_us/us_xgr_concealed_weapons_arizona) aled_weapons_arizona
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