Many gun owners are aware of the success we’ve enjoyed with the expansion of Right-to-Carry laws across the country. Starting in 1986, when there were only nine states with Right-to-Carry laws, Florida led the way in adopting a “shall-issue” system for issuing concealed-carry permits. Now there are only eight states that do not have Right-to-Carry laws, and every state has some type of system in place for issuing carry permits.
While the story of Right to Carry is well known, many are not aware of the equally important success that we’ve had in advancing firearm preemption laws in state legislatures. These laws generally preclude local governments from enacting any additional regulations on firearms or ammunition beyond state law. Without firearm preemption, gun owners would be subjected to a patchwork of hundreds or even thousands of different sets of laws in every state.
Such a system, where a simple trip to the grocery store could involve three or four different regulatory regimes, is a potential trap for every gun owner in America.
In fact, without firearm preemption, our wins on Right to Carry would be hollow victories. If every city, town, village or county could restrict or inhibit law-abiding gun owners’ ability to carry a firearm for defense of themselves and their families, then carrying a firearm would no longer be a right.
