
As gun sales continue to hit record highs, lawmakers in several Republican led states are looking into allowing residents to carry concealed firearms without a permit.
Lawmakers in Montana recently passed another bill that expands the right to gun ownership in the state while GOP governors in nine states including Utah and Tennessee have issued support for a bill that would do the same.
Currently, the majority of states require those seeking to own a gun to undergo a FBI background check, get some sort of weapons training, and to get a permit to carry around a concealed weapon.
The National Rifle Association and other groups who support gun rights say that those laws just create more obstacles for law abiding citizens to get a gun and does nothing but undermine the Second Amendment.
“I have that right to protect myself, the Constitution says we have the right. Why are we putting a barrier for law-abiding citizens?” Rep. Walt Brooks, who is sponsoring the bill said.
Gun control advocates say that it is a safety risk not to have those laws in place.
” It is dangerous to allow people to carry hidden, loaded handguns possibly without a background check or any training,” Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action said. ” She added that since Alaska one of 15 states who now allow gunowners to carry concealed weapons without a permit has seen a 71% increase in aggravated assaults annually since allowing concealed carry without a permit.