Missouri Rings In New Year by Eliminating Concealed Carry Permit Requirement

While states like California placed new regulations on the backs of law-abiding gun owners on January 1, 2017, Missouri went a different direction and removed the burdensome demand that residents obtain a concealed carry permit before keeping a gun on their person for self-defense.

Beginning January 1, law-abiding Missourians are legal to carry a concealed handgun without a permit in places where concealed carry is allowed. In other words, the Second Amendment is a sufficient carry permit in the Show Me State.

The legislation that abolished carry permit requirements in Missouri was sponsored by State Senator Brian Munzlinger (R-18).

“The basis of this whole bill is that it allows law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families,” he told NBC News.

In addition to adopting permitless carry, Munzlinger’s bill made Missouri the newest Stand Your Ground state and expanded Castle Doctrine rules so that guests in the home are afforded the same self-defense protections as homeowners. For example, a baby sitter is allowed to use lethal force in protecting other family members while in the home.

On the other end of the spectrum, California kicked on 2017 with four new regulations for law-abiding gun owners. The Sacramento Bee reported that regulations:

1. It is now “a crime to falsely report a firearm has been lost or stolen.”
2. It is now “illegal, with limited exceptions, to loan guns to anyone outside of immediate family members.”
3. The “assault weapons” ban now includes language related to “bullet buttons,” thereby banning the sale of AR-15s with the “bullet button” feature.
4. It is now required that ”handguns be stored in a locked container or locked trunk when left in an unattended vehicle.”

The new changes in Missouri mean it will be easier for law-abiding citizens to be armed to defend their lives, thereby taking away the criminals’ advantage. The changes in California mean it will be more difficult for law-abiding citizens to be armed for self-defense, while criminals will continue to have the guns they need to commit heinous acts.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of “Bullets with AWR Hawkins,” a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.