Addressing Concerns about Constitutional Carry Legislation

Often the anti-gun crowd will work to confuse citizens about what Constitutional Carry “means”. Constitutional Carry does not change who is authorized to carry a firearm, it simply eliminates the requirement for law-abiding gun owners to pay fees and beg for permission to do so.

Does Not Eliminate Permits

The ultimate goal is to make Constitutional Carry the law in every state. However, the political reality is that some states will lag further behind in adopting Constitutional Carry. In turn, states that pass Constitutional Carry will continue to offer permits to individuals who need them for reciprocity purposes.

Does Not Alter Reciprocity Agreements

A good Constitutional Carry bill should NOT change the current permit system. It only gives gun owners another option for self-defense. Permits would still be optional and the same rules regarding reciprocity would still apply.

Firearms Permits = “Coat Tax”

Permits and their associated fees are essentially a coat tax. This is because open carry without a permit is already legal in 31 states. The very act of concealing a handgun requires a permit. However, carrying a handgun openly does not. At the end of the day, gun owners must pay a tax to wear a coat while carrying their handgun.

Vermont Carry – Since 1777

Vermont is a unique case in American gun policy. From America’s foundation, Vermont always had Constitutional Carry. Rated as one of the nation’s safest states when it comes to violent crime, Vermont never had a restriction on the method of firearm carry and was an outlier in that aspect for a large portion of U.S. history. Given this history, Vermont does not issue permits whatsoever. That being said, residents can apply for permits from other states that issue them to non-residents for reciprocity reasons.