HR 822
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 822
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a national standard
in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry concealed firearms
in the State.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 18, 2011
Mr. STEARNS (for himself and Mr. SHULER) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a national standard
in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry concealed firearms
in the State.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protects
the fundamental right of an individual to keep and bear arms, including
for purposes of individual self-defense.
(2) The Supreme Court of the United States has recognized this right in
the case of District of Columbia v. Heller, and in the case of McDonald
v. City of Chicago, has recognized that the right is protected against State
infringement by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States.
(3) The Congress has the power to pass legislation to protect against infringement
of all rights protected under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution
of the United States.
(4) The right to bear arms includes the right to carry arms for self-defense
and the defense of others.
(5) The Congress has enacted legislation of national scope authorizing the
carrying of concealed firearms by qualified active and retired law enforcement
officers.
(6) Forty-eight States provide by statute for the issuance to individuals
of permits to carry concealed firearms, or allow the carrying of concealed
firearms for lawful purposes without the need for a permit.
(7) The overwhelming majority of individuals who exercise the right to carry
firearms in their own States and other States have proven to be law-abiding,
and such carrying has been demonstrated to provide crime prevention or crime
resistance benefits for the licensees and for others.
(8) The Congress finds that preventing the lawful carrying of firearms by
individuals who are traveling outside their home State interferes with the
constitutional right of interstate travel, and harms interstate commerce.
(9) Among the purposes of this Act is the protection of the rights, privileges,
and immunities guaranteed to a citizen of the United States by the Fourteenth
Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
(10) The Congress, therefore, should provide for national recognition, in
States that issue to their own citizens licenses or permits to carry concealed
handguns, of other State permits or licenses to carry concealed handguns.
SEC. 3. RECIPROCITY FOR THE CARRYING OF CERTAIN CONCEALED FIREARMS.
(a) In General- Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after section 926C the following:
`Sec. 926D. Reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms
`(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the law of any State or political subdivision
thereof, related to the carrying or transportation of firearms, a person who
is not prohibited by Federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping,
or receiving a firearm, and who is carrying a government-issued photographic
identification document and a valid license or permit which is issued pursuant
to the law of a State and which permits the person to carry a concealed firearm,
may carry a concealed handgun (other than a machinegun or destructive device)
that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, in
any State, other than the State of residence of the person, that--
`(1) has a statute that allows residents of the State to obtain licenses
or permits to carry concealed firearms; or
`(2) does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms by residents of
the State for lawful purposes.
`(b) A person carrying a concealed handgun under this section shall be permitted
to carry a handgun subject to the same conditions or limitations that apply
to residents of the State who have permits issued by the State or are otherwise
lawfully allowed to do so by the State.
`(c) In a State that allows the issuing authority for licenses or permits
to carry concealed firearms to impose restrictions on the carrying of firearms
by individual holders of such licenses or permits, a firearm shall be carried
according to the same terms authorized by an unrestricted license or permit
issued to a resident of the State.
`(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt any provision of
State law with respect to the issuance of licenses or permits to carry concealed
firearms.'.
(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for such chapter is amended
by inserting after the item relating to section 926C the following:
`926D. Reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms.'.
(c) Severability- Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, if any
provision of this section, or any amendment made by this section, or the application
of such provision or amendment to any person or circumstance is held to be
unconstitutional, this section and amendments made by this section and the
application of such provision or amendment to other persons or circumstances
shall not be affected thereby.
(d) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect
90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
END
