livingston
20×102mm Vulcan
ND legislators seek clarity on new permitless carry law for vehicles
BISMARCK — Two North Dakota legislators plan to seek clarity from the state's attorney general on the state's permitless carry law that took effect Tuesday, Aug. 1.
Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, said there's some confusion over whether gun owners can carry a loaded firearm in their car under the new "constitutional carry" law. He said people shouldn't do so for now, given that he's heard that some state's attorneys and law enforcement officials have asked questions.
Under state law, a firearm is unloaded when there's not a loaded shell in the chamber. For a revolver, none of the chambers in the cylinder may have a loaded shell.
"From a legislative standpoint, we don't think we missed it, but it is unclear," Porter said. "So we don't want anybody to risk themselves getting criminal charges against them."
Porter said he and Sen. Kelly Armstrong, R-Dickinson, planned to ask for Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem's opinion on the matter. The two lawmakers chaired the committees that heard House Bill 1169 during this year's session.
Porter, one of the bill's sponsors, said language dealing with guns in vehicles is in a separate section of state law and wasn't caught.
"The intent of the law was to make it equivalent to a Class 2 (concealed weapons license)," he said. "The attorney general is going to have to weigh in to set that straight."
North Dakota is now one of 12 states that allow law-abiding people to carry a concealed handgun without a permit, according to the National Rifle Association. Montana allows permitless carry outside of city limits
ND legislators seek clarity on new permitless carry law for ...
BISMARCK — Two North Dakota legislators plan to seek clarity from the state's attorney general on the state's permitless carry law that took effect Tuesday, Aug. 1.
Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, said there's some confusion over whether gun owners can carry a loaded firearm in their car under the new "constitutional carry" law. He said people shouldn't do so for now, given that he's heard that some state's attorneys and law enforcement officials have asked questions.
Under state law, a firearm is unloaded when there's not a loaded shell in the chamber. For a revolver, none of the chambers in the cylinder may have a loaded shell.
"From a legislative standpoint, we don't think we missed it, but it is unclear," Porter said. "So we don't want anybody to risk themselves getting criminal charges against them."
Porter said he and Sen. Kelly Armstrong, R-Dickinson, planned to ask for Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem's opinion on the matter. The two lawmakers chaired the committees that heard House Bill 1169 during this year's session.
Porter, one of the bill's sponsors, said language dealing with guns in vehicles is in a separate section of state law and wasn't caught.
"The intent of the law was to make it equivalent to a Class 2 (concealed weapons license)," he said. "The attorney general is going to have to weigh in to set that straight."
North Dakota is now one of 12 states that allow law-abiding people to carry a concealed handgun without a permit, according to the National Rifle Association. Montana allows permitless carry outside of city limits
ND legislators seek clarity on new permitless carry law for ...