Arizona May Abolish Concealed-Carry Permits

[Teresa Heilevang]

Video+ http://www.kpho.com/video/22961502/index.html

PHOENIX -- The Arizona House and Senate will soon vote on proposals that would abolish the concealed-carry weapons permit law.

The votes are expected to take placed before the end of next week.

If the law passes, Arizona will be one of three states that allows gun owners to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

Only Alaska and Vermont currently do not require concealed-carry weapons permits.

"It's the second amendment. The second amendment says we have the right to keep and carry arms. The founding fathers wanted no regulation in that,” said Ken Logan, the range manager at Shooter’s World in Phoenix.

He supports the state proposal, despite the fact that it could hurt his business.

Right now, potential owners must complete an eight hour training class, which Shooter’s World offers, to obtain their weapons permits.

Logan said gun owners usually seek out training, regardless of legal requirements.

“You're responsible for that bullet wherever it goes,” he said. “You need to know how to use that firearm before you carry it.”

His customers weren’t convinced it would be safe to get rid of the training requirement for concealed weapons permits.

"I think should they keep the permits going,” said Justin Ivy, a lifelong gun owner who said he learned a lot during the required training class.

“You have to know how to use it,” said Dennis Fiorillo, a gun owner who also said he benefited training classes. “You know have to know how to use it safely so nobody gets hurt.”

[fightingquaker13]

I  partially agree with the gun owners in favor of the required training. I got my Fl. CCW with a hunters safety education course card that I got when I was 10. Now, for me, I did the CHL course in Tx. It was far more stringent than Fl's requirements. The thing is, I'm glad I did. We sat in a room, learned the law, were taught an attitude that stressed conflict avoidance and tactics to deescalate a situation. On top of that there some interesting facts about bullet range, pentration, and a firm reminder that you were responsble for where that bullet went. Then we went to the range to qualify. Should this be required? No. Do I wish everyone who carrys had a class like it? Yes.
FQ13