Despite opposition from state troopers, business groups, firearms bill advances

The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would allow people to openly carry firearms without a permit and without training.

A total of 34 organizations — including the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Oklahoma State Troopers Association, universities, chambers of commerce and hospitals — sent a letter to Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman in opposition to House Bill 3098 and House Joint Resolution 1009, a proposed ballot measure intended to make it harder to regulate guns.

House Bill 3098 was approved 37-9. The joint resolution was not considered.

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, said the bill won’t expand the places people can bring guns, but would allow nonfelons over 21 to carry guns without having to go through the permitting and training process required for concealed carry.

The measure will now go to a conference committee and further legislative consideration.

There was no debate on the proposal, but some senators asked questions, including whether the job of law enforcement would become more difficult if more people without training are carrying guns.

“How are we going to decide who is doing it lawfully or not until they kill somebody?” asked Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa.

Dahm said under an amendment to the bill those carrying a weapon would need to disclose this to a law enforcement officer if they are stopped.

The National Rifle Association supports the bill.

“Gloom and doom predictions of ‘wild west’ scenarios in states with strong gun rights have proven time and again to be nothing more than scare tactics,” said Catherine Mortensen, a spokesman for the association.

“Since 1991, when the nation’s total violent crime rate hit an all-time high, 26 states have adopted Right-to-Carry laws, and the violent crime rate has declined by more than half, to a 43-year low, and the murder rate has declined to an all-time low. We know that criminals are less likely to target someone who may be armed.”

The letter in opposition to the measures said they would jeopardize:

• The rights of businesses to keep guns from being carried onto their private property.

• The rights of event hosts at public parks, recreational areas and fairgrounds to prevent weapons at events.

• The ability of colleges to prohibit guns on campus.

• Make it harder for law enforcement to protect public safety.

“Until these issues can be addressed, we ask that these measures not move forward in the Senate,” the letter states.

Concealed weapons

While loosening restrictions on open carry, Rep. Jeff Coody’s House Bill 3098 would maintain present licensing procedures for those wishing to carry a concealed gun.

Coody, R-Grandfield, said self-defense is a Godgiven right and the right to bear arms is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

“If we give people some freedom, people tend to use that responsibly,” said Coody, R-Grandfield.

“We have a government that wants to take our constitutional rights away from us. This is push back.”

House Joint Resolution 1009 would put on the November ballot a measure to amend the state Constitution to boost protection for the right to keep and bear arms and specify that any regulation of the right shall be subject to strict scrutiny.