WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), alongside Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and 39 other Republican lawmakers, has reintroduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This legislation aims to ensure that individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state can exercise those rights in any other state permitting concealed carry, provided they follow the laws of the respective state.
“The right for law-abiding Americans to protect themselves and their family should not end at the state border,” said Cassidy. “This bill ensures citizens can exercise that right.”
Key Provisions of the Bill
The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act includes the following measures:
- Reciprocal Concealed Carry Rights: Allows individuals with concealed carry permits in their home state to carry a concealed firearm in other states that allow it, respecting the laws of each state.
- Driver’s License Model: Treats state-issued concealed carry permits like driver’s licenses, enabling lawful carry across state lines while requiring adherence to local laws.
- State Sovereignty: Preserves states’ rights by avoiding a federally imposed concealed carry standard.
Support from Senators
Senators Cornyn, Cruz, and Tillis highlighted the bill’s importance in protecting Second Amendment rights, reducing legal confusion, and ensuring consistent rights for law-abiding gun owners traveling between states.
“The Lone Star State has long championed our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms,” said Cornyn. “This legislation would reduce unnecessary burdens for law-abiding citizens and allow them to carry a concealed firearm in every state that permits it.”
“The rights protected in the Second Amendment are foundational to a free society and the preservation of individual liberty,” added Cruz.
Grassley emphasized the bill’s practicality, noting it would simplify laws for responsible gun owners while respecting states’ individual legal frameworks.
Broad Republican Support
The bill is cosponsored by a coalition of Republican senators, including John Thune (R-SD), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and John Kennedy (R-LA), among others.
Backing from Leading Organizations
The legislation has earned endorsements from prominent advocacy groups, including:
- National Rifle Association (NRA)
- National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)
- Gun Owners of America (GOA)
These organizations praised the bill for upholding Second Amendment rights and creating consistent concealed carry standards across states.