Dogman
22nd September 2011, 09:44 AM
Lawmakers took aim Tuesday at expanding gun rights in Oklahoma (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma&CATEGORY=STATE) by allowing citizens to openly carry firearms, an issue that has become an emotionally charged one at the Capitol with differing opinions on just how far legislation should go.
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Members of the Public Safety Committee took testimony from law enforcement, academics and proponents of expanded gun rights as they decided how to proceed with an open carry bill. Rep. Mark McCullough (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Mark+McCullough&CATEGORY=PERSON), who requested the study, said his plan is to take a strategic approach to expanding firearm rights that would include drafting a variety of bills on the subject.
“When the Legislature rolls around, we would have perhaps a buffet, a variety of well thought out pieces of legislation that we can choose from. Then it will be up to the majority caucus to decide what they want to go forward with as far as a gun bill, if at all,” said McCullough, R-Sapulpa. “This is a serious issue. It has constitutional implications and it's obviously very popular in Oklahoma, but it also has serious public safety implications, and therefore it needs to be looked at very seriously.”
The Republican-controlled Legislature passed an open carry bill two years ago that would allow anyone with a concealed-carry permit to carry a firearm openly, but that measure was vetoed by then-Gov. Brad Henry (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Brad+Henry&CATEGORY=PERSON), a Democrat. Earlier this year, with extended GOP (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=U.S.+Republican+Party&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION) majorities and a Republican governor, gun rights advocates were confident a bill would make it to the governor's desk, but the measure got bogged down in the House Public Safety Committee.
“Generally, when we have discussion and debate that pertains to constitutional or individual rights, those discussions tend to be spirited,” said House Speaker Kris Steele (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Kris+Steele&CATEGORY=PERSON). “I think it's a very healthy process.”
Steele said he expects to support an open carry bill that applies to those 21 years and older who have received some training and a permit.
Republican Gov. Mary Fallin (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Mary+Fallin&CATEGORY=PERSON) expressed similar support for a “reasonable” open carry bill with restrictions.
“I support open carry. I've always been a supporter of it, but I do think you have to be reasonable about open carry,” Fallin said. “Just as there are times when you can't take open carry into airports or into areas of public buildings, we have to be thoughtful and reasonable about that.”
Differing viewpoints
Some proponents for expanded gun rights believe there should be few, if any, restrictions on the carrying of weapons, which they perceive as guaranteed right under the U.S. Constitution.
According to the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma+Second+Amendment+Association&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION), 43 states allow some form of open carry.
“It's a matter of liberty. Our founding fathers were clear about that,” said Tim Gillespie (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Tim+Gillespie&CATEGORY=PERSON) of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association. “Over the years, we've put infringements on it.”
But the Oklahoma Constitution explicitly gives the Legislature the authority to regulate the carrying of weapons, said Oklahoma City University (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma+City+University&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION) professor Michael O'Shea (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Michael+O%27Shea&CATEGORY=PERSON).
O'Shea said lawmakers have a variety of options to pursue. One would be to expand the current concealed carry law to clarify things such as carrying on private property, involuntarily displaying a weapon and prohibited places.
Another option would be to legalize open carry by those with a concealed carry permit, and a third would be allowing anyone over the age of 18 to openly carry a firearm without a permit.
Some law enforcement officials have expressed concerns about whether allowing people to openly display weapons in public is a good idea.
“We are not particularly in favor of open carry,” said Stacey Puckett (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Stacey+Puckett&CATEGORY=PERSON), executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma+Association+of+Chiefs&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION) of Police. “We believe if people want to carry a gun, they certainly should be fingerprinted, have a background check and training and meet certain licensing requirements.”
Rep. Sue Tibbs (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Sue+Tibbs&CATEGORY=PERSON), chair of the House Public Safety Committee, said she supports some requirement for training and licensing of anyone who wants to openly carry a weapon.
“I think we should stay with the concealed carry permit and go through that process so that someone is at least familiar with the weapon they're carrying,” said Tibbs, R-Tulsa.
Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-lawmakers-study-open-carry-of-handguns/article/3606062#ixzz1YhULk3Zf
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Members of the Public Safety Committee took testimony from law enforcement, academics and proponents of expanded gun rights as they decided how to proceed with an open carry bill. Rep. Mark McCullough (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Mark+McCullough&CATEGORY=PERSON), who requested the study, said his plan is to take a strategic approach to expanding firearm rights that would include drafting a variety of bills on the subject.
“When the Legislature rolls around, we would have perhaps a buffet, a variety of well thought out pieces of legislation that we can choose from. Then it will be up to the majority caucus to decide what they want to go forward with as far as a gun bill, if at all,” said McCullough, R-Sapulpa. “This is a serious issue. It has constitutional implications and it's obviously very popular in Oklahoma, but it also has serious public safety implications, and therefore it needs to be looked at very seriously.”
The Republican-controlled Legislature passed an open carry bill two years ago that would allow anyone with a concealed-carry permit to carry a firearm openly, but that measure was vetoed by then-Gov. Brad Henry (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Brad+Henry&CATEGORY=PERSON), a Democrat. Earlier this year, with extended GOP (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=U.S.+Republican+Party&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION) majorities and a Republican governor, gun rights advocates were confident a bill would make it to the governor's desk, but the measure got bogged down in the House Public Safety Committee.
“Generally, when we have discussion and debate that pertains to constitutional or individual rights, those discussions tend to be spirited,” said House Speaker Kris Steele (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Kris+Steele&CATEGORY=PERSON). “I think it's a very healthy process.”
Steele said he expects to support an open carry bill that applies to those 21 years and older who have received some training and a permit.
Republican Gov. Mary Fallin (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Mary+Fallin&CATEGORY=PERSON) expressed similar support for a “reasonable” open carry bill with restrictions.
“I support open carry. I've always been a supporter of it, but I do think you have to be reasonable about open carry,” Fallin said. “Just as there are times when you can't take open carry into airports or into areas of public buildings, we have to be thoughtful and reasonable about that.”
Differing viewpoints
Some proponents for expanded gun rights believe there should be few, if any, restrictions on the carrying of weapons, which they perceive as guaranteed right under the U.S. Constitution.
According to the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma+Second+Amendment+Association&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION), 43 states allow some form of open carry.
“It's a matter of liberty. Our founding fathers were clear about that,” said Tim Gillespie (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Tim+Gillespie&CATEGORY=PERSON) of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association. “Over the years, we've put infringements on it.”
But the Oklahoma Constitution explicitly gives the Legislature the authority to regulate the carrying of weapons, said Oklahoma City University (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma+City+University&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION) professor Michael O'Shea (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Michael+O%27Shea&CATEGORY=PERSON).
O'Shea said lawmakers have a variety of options to pursue. One would be to expand the current concealed carry law to clarify things such as carrying on private property, involuntarily displaying a weapon and prohibited places.
Another option would be to legalize open carry by those with a concealed carry permit, and a third would be allowing anyone over the age of 18 to openly carry a firearm without a permit.
Some law enforcement officials have expressed concerns about whether allowing people to openly display weapons in public is a good idea.
“We are not particularly in favor of open carry,” said Stacey Puckett (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Stacey+Puckett&CATEGORY=PERSON), executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Oklahoma+Association+of+Chiefs&CATEGORY=ORGANIZATION) of Police. “We believe if people want to carry a gun, they certainly should be fingerprinted, have a background check and training and meet certain licensing requirements.”
Rep. Sue Tibbs (http://newsok.com/keysearch/?er=1&CANONICAL=Sue+Tibbs&CATEGORY=PERSON), chair of the House Public Safety Committee, said she supports some requirement for training and licensing of anyone who wants to openly carry a weapon.
“I think we should stay with the concealed carry permit and go through that process so that someone is at least familiar with the weapon they're carrying,” said Tibbs, R-Tulsa.
Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-lawmakers-study-open-carry-of-handguns/article/3606062#ixzz1YhULk3Zf