Senate Bill 1262, signed by Governor Brad Little on February 25, 2022, will go into effect on July 1, 2022. This legislation amends Idaho Code § 46-1008 to expressly protect concealed weapons licenses, firearms, ammunition, and components during declarations of “disaster emergencies.” These changes were spurred by the actions of state and local governments during disasters such the COVID-19 pandemic and response.
On March 30, 2022, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law the “Vote Without Fear Act,” which generally makes it unlawful to openly carry a firearm at or near any polling location in Colorado during an election. Proponents argue this new law is intended to prevent voter intimidation at the polls and other locations where voters cast a ballot. Opponents argue the new law essentially requires law-abiding gun owners to forgo one constitutional right (the Second Amendment) in order to exercise another (the right to vote).
On March 18, 2022, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem signed SB 212 into law, eliminating all fees for concealed carry permits. Over the past few years, South Dakota has taken several steps to strengthen its residents' Second Amendment rights, including passing permitless carry, clarifying the "stand-your-ground" law, and, most recently, reducing fees for concealed carry permits to $0.
“Stand your ground,” one of the better known yet poorly understood self-defense policies, has received a lot of media and legal attention since its inception—most of which has been inaccurate or misconstrued.
Now that Governor Brian Kemp has signed the bill making permitless carry law for the state of Georgia, half the country is on board with dropping state licensing requirements to carry a gun. That’s a significant jump in a short period of time and a fantastic nod toward Second Amendment rights.
Most gun owners know the basic process to purchase a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensee (“FFL”). After deciding which firearm you want to buy, an FFL will run a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”).
For first-time gun buyers interested in self-defense, the questions surrounding how to get a concealed carry permit can be one of the most confusing parts of their self-defense journey. Complicating the matter further, there’s no standardized application process between all 50 states when it comes to how to get a concealed carry permit. There are even many states where the question of how to get a concealed carry permit isn’t even one that people have to ask themselves.
The Second Amendment of the Constitution, or the right to keep and bear arms, is one of 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. Different interpretations of the Second Amendment have caused a long-running and heated argument over gun rights in America. But how did we get here? What is the point of the Second Amendment?
The Second Amendment protects and reinforces your right to bear arms. But what exactly is that right? How is it defined by the law? As the ultimate interpreter of American law, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) tells us what the Second Amendment does—and doesn’t—protect.Here’s a simplified breakdown of Second Amendment Supreme Court cases and their impact on our self-defense rights.
A question that often comes up on both sides of the gun debate is “Has gun control saved lives?” An answer of sorts can be found in studies and statistics, both of which present some of their own downsides and inaccuracies, at times. The simplest answer to this is the most obvious: Criminals behave criminally, and if someone is willing to break the law, creating more laws won’t stop them. In fact, those restrictions typically hinder law-abiding gun owners more than anyone else.
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