It’s been tried before, but failed twice. It’s moving now, and in the Senate, where it failed previously. Let’s hope it happens this time.
14 thoughts on “Constitutional Carry Moves in Wyoming”
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The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State …
It’s been tried before, but failed twice. It’s moving now, and in the Senate, where it failed previously. Let’s hope it happens this time.
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One to watch, IMHO, as it will give us an idea of how much politicos are spooked by the recent incident in Tucson.
I spend a considerable amount of time in Wyoming, specifically the Jackson area. Which unfortunately is the only blue county in a sea of red, mosly due to transplants from the Northeast and West Coast.
Wyoming has a very long list of places where concealed carry is prohibited.
Places are off-limits when carrying a concealed weapon in Wyoming are:
– Any facility used primarily for law enforcement operations or administration without the written consent of the chief administrator
– Any detention facility, prison or jail
– Any courtroom, except that nothing in this section shall preclude a judge from carrying a concealed weapon or determining who will carry a concealed weapon in the courtroom
– Any meeting of a governmental entity
– Any meeting of the legislature or a committee thereof
– Any school, college or professional athletic event not related to firearms
– Any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic liquor and malt beverages for consumption on the premises, which portion of the establishment is primarily devoted to that purpose
– Any place where persons are assembled for public worship, without the written consent of the chief administrator of that place
– Any elementary or secondary school facility
– Any college or university facility without the written consent of the security service of the college or university
– Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law or regulation or state law.
With that said Wyoming is very unique in it’s open carry laws. They have no retrictions on where you can open carry. Though a private property owner may exercise their property rights and ask you to leave.
Wyoming is an unristricted open carry state.
I had spoke with the attorney general’s office last year regarding this, since the national parks must follow state law regarding carrying in national parks. I ran into the lodging operator in Yellowstone saying I could not carry into their facilities since they served alchohol. To which the gentleman in the attorney general’s office said, “Well then open carry, since there are no laws prohibiting open carry in Wyoming, but thay can prohibit carrying by exerciing they private property rights.”
So in Wyoming unless there is a federal or state law prohibiting the possesion of any firearm in a facility, if you carry open and the propery owner does not exercise their private property rights, you may openly carry a firearm into a place where concealed carry is prohibited.
A unique thing about Wyoming’s lack of open carry laws. You must be at 21 or over to carry a concealed weapon, but there is no age restriction on open carry.
We’re working towards Constitutional Carry in Virginia, as well.
I’ve been told by the head of the VCDL that there should be some corrections and language improvements coming in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, that means they’ll remove the “tell a cop” requirement.
I looked at the bill and the current Wyoming laws realted to concealed carry.
Current law:
http://attorneygeneral.state.wy.us/dci/pdf/6-8-104With2010Aammendment.pdf
Proposed change:
http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2011/bills/SF0047.pdf
The change requires that to carry a concelaed firearm without a permit the individual must meet the frst 6 requiremnents to apply for a Wyoming concealed carry permit.
The problem is the first provision states:
“Is a resident of the United States and has been a resident of Wyoming for not less than six (6) months prior to filing the application. The Wyoming residency requirements of this paragraph do not apply to any person who holds a valid permit authorizing him to carry a concealed firearm authorized and issued by a governmental agency or entity in another state that recognizes Wyoming permits and is a valid statewide permit;”
So if you are not a resident of Wyoming for 6 months, or and do not have a permit issued by any state that has reciprocity with Wyoming, then you will not be able to carry under this law.
It appears that it applies to residents only, and non-residents can, just like the law is now, only carry concealed if you have a permit from a state who has reciprocity with Wyoming.
I have called, Rep Allen Jaggi, of Wyoming, who is the bill’s sponser in the Wyoming house to bring this matter to his attention.
He is in Cheyenne today so I left a message for him and will hear back form him this afternonn. If they were not in session today, I would have just called him at home, and would have an answer by now.
I think I got caught in the spam filter.
I placed a call to Kit Jennings the state senator who wrote the bill, to inquire if his intent was to have this only apply to residents of Wyoming, or for every U.S. citizen.
I am waiting for a call back from Kit.
On a side note it is refreshing dealing with policitians in Wyoming. They do not have budgets for staff, and when you call Cheyenne there is a receptionist for each house of the legislature, not one in each member’s office. If you call them when they are not in session, the phone number listed on their offical government web page usally rings in their home if they are retired or their business if they are not. This is truely a citizen legislature, and being a politician in Wyoming is not a full-time job. I which Pennsylvania was more like this.
I am planning on retiring to Wyoming, and that day can not get here soon enough.
Let’s hear it for WyGo (Wyoming Gun Owners), the group that is instrumental in making this happen. Send any support you can to them in order to push this forward.
I was hoping Utah would be the first after Arizona, but if another state beats Utah to it, all I can say to that is “”Huzzah for Constitutional Carry!”
The same goes for Virginia!
Spoke with Kit Jennings today, and he is aware of the requirement that a resident of a state that does not have reciprocity with Wyoming would be exclude from carrying concealed without a permit. I his stated they tried to remove this in the Senate but the law enforcement lobby pushed hard to keep this. He also stated the law enforcement lobby has less influence in the House and he expects them to remove the requirement.
I had voiced the concern that a lot of tourist from states who wyoming does not have reciprocity with my get caught in this trap. Since the other constitutional carry states do not have such a requirement.
They are well aware of the issue and are trying th best to address it. His main concern is this is the 3rd year of introducing this legialation and it is the first year it will pass the Senate.
Thanks for looking into that. I should do a separate post about that. Remind if I get distracted.
Wyoming Senate File received preliminary approval in the Senate on Thursday on a 21-8 vote. It now faces two more tests there and must also pass the state House.
I am confident that when this hits the Governor’s desk it will be signed in to law.
Here are a few statement that were on Matt’s campaign website.
On the Second Amendment:
As Governor, I will be the strongest advocate for protection of Second Amendment rights. I love to hunt and fish. I’m proud owner for many years of a Wyoming lifetime small game, bird and fishing license. I strongly support gun rights, hunting, multiple-use on public lands, and efforts to limit federal control of guns.
On the sunset the assault weapons ban:
I will oppose federal efforts to infringe upon our Second Amendment rights. My collection of guns includes AR 15 models, .50 caliber, .22s, and many others. I do not want you or me to lose our right to own and use these guns. Therefore, I support the sunset of the assault weapons ban and reciprocity with other states for Wyoming’s concealed carry laws. I will also direct my Attorney General to resist efforts to change new policy which allows guns to be carried in our national parks.
The only blemish on Matt’ record was when he was U.S. attorney for Wyoming from 2001 to 2007, he represented the ATF in the case of Wyoming v. BATF. (http://www.bradycenter.org/xshare/pdf/lap/cases/WY-v-BATF-opinion.pdf)
Matt statement on the case was, he was the U.S. Attorney for Wyoming and he was just doing his job.
“I have so-called assault rifles, and a Barrett .50-caliber,” Mead said, referring to a powerful rifle sometimes used by military snipers. “I hunt, but beyond that, I just love to shoot paper targets, bottom line.”
Fantastic.
What a change. These days, national dialogue regarding gun control results in victories for gun rights.
What a long way we’ve come.