Congress To Consider National Reciprocity—Again (Shutterstock)
January 13, 2023
By Mark Chesnut
The U.S. Congress will once again be considering national right-to-carry reciprocity, thanks to a new measure just introduced by North Carolina Republican Rep. Richard Hudson. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2023—HR 38 —stipulates that people with state-issued concealed carry licenses or permits issued in one state to conceal a handgun in any other state, as long as the permit holder follows the laws of that state. It also allows residents of Constitutional carry states the ability to carry in other states. Hudson said the bipartisan legislation has 118 original cosponsors.
“H.R. 38 guarantees the Second Amendment does not disappear when crossing an invisible state line,” Rep. Hudson said in a press release. “The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act protects law-abiding citizens’ rights to conceal carry and travel freely between states without worrying about conflicting state codes or onerous civil suits. I am especially proud to have such widespread and bipartisan support for this measure as I continue working to get this legislation over the finish line.”
Indeed, the patchwork of different laws from state to state—and even community to community in some states—makes concealed carry a confusing and sometimes litigious matter for those who travel. Since many states with anti-gun leaders severely restrict concealed carry, a reciprocity measure is the only way to ensure lawful citizens aren’t prosecuted for practicing their Second Amendment rights when traveling from state to state. The National Shooting Sports Foundation said the measure is an important one for all Americans.
“It safeguards a state’s right to determine their own laws while protecting the Second Amendment rights of all Americans,” NSSF senior vice president and general counsel said in a news release. “We thank Rep. Hudson for his leadership on behalf of America’s hunters and recreational shooters.”
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The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act isn’t a new idea. In fact, Rep. Hudson has introduced the measure in previous legislative sessions. In Dec. 2017, the bill passed the U.S. House by 231-to-198 vote, yet was never taken up in the Republican-controlled Senate because of apathy by the Senate leadership. President Donald Trump had said during his campaign that he would sign such a measure if passed, but then gave the measure no support at all while it was being considered in Congress, not even mentioning the matter.
With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which affirmed the right to carry a firearm for self-defense outside the home, now seems a good time for national reciprocity. However, with Democrats controlling the Senate and anti-gun President Joe Biden in the White House, the measure has a very steep hill to climb.
About the Author Freelance writer and editor Mark Chesnut is the owner/editorial director at Red Setter Communications LLC. An avid hunter, shooter and political observer, he has been covering Second Amendment issues and politics on a near-daily basis for over 20 years.
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