Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) has vetoed a bill that would have eliminated the Sooner State’s permit requirement for carrying a gun. Her reasoning? The state’s current gun laws are “few and reasonable,” she claims.
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Fallin’s Statement
“Oklahoma is a state that respects the Second Amendment,” Fallin said in a statement. “As governor, I have signed both concealed-carry and open-carry legislation. I support the right to bear arms and own a pistol, a rifle, and a shotgun. Oklahomans believe that law-abiding individuals should be able to defend themselves. I believe the firearms requirement we current have in state law are few and reasonable. Senate Bill 1212 eliminates the training requirements for persons carrying a firearms in Oklahoma. It reduces the level of the background check necessary to carry a gun.”
Fallin added that the constitutional carry measure would make the job tougher for LEOs on the street.
“SB 1212 eliminates the current ability of Oklahoma law enforcement to distinguish between those carrying guns who have been trained and vetted, and those who have not,” Fallin claimed.
“Again, I believe the firearms laws we currently have in place are effective, appropriate and minimal, and serve to reassure our citizens that people who are carrying handguns in this state are qualified to do so,” Fallin stated.
SB 1212
The Oklahoma constitutional carry bill, SB 1212, passed in the Oklahoma House on April 25 in a 59-28 vote. The measure then passed in the Senate on May 2 by a vote of 33-9. If signed into law by Fallin, the bill would have allowed law-abiding citizens ages 21 and up to carry a handgun, open or concealed, without a license.
Reaction
Naturally, pro-gun groups weren’t exactly thrilled with Fallin, who is nearing the end of her second term as Governor and cannot seek re-election in November because of term limits.
“Make no mistake, this temporary setback will be rectified when Oklahoma residents elect a new, and genuinely pro-Second Amendment governor,” NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox told the Washington Post.
Don Spencer, the president of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, also signaled his frustration.
“She had a great opportunity to defend our liberty and leave a wonderful legacy and she chose not to,” Spencer told Tulsa World.
Constitutional Carry States
There are currently 12 states that allow constitutional carry. They are Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and West Virginia. In addition, Arkansas and Montana allow constitutional carry in most, but not all, of their states.
