A bill that would remove the requirement for a concealed handgun permit in Nebraska was amended and advanced in the Nebraska legislature on Friday. Lawmakers voted 36-12 to advance the measure to a second round of debate.
Current state law requires that an individual pass a background check, pay a $100 permit fee and complete a gun safety course to obtain a concealed carry permit. LB77 was introduced by Senator Tom Brewer and would waive those requirements.
An individual not otherwise prohibited from possessing or carrying a gun in Nebraska would be allowed to conceal carry without a permit. LB77 would prohibit counties, cities and villages from regulating ownership, possession or transportation of a concealed handgun.
This is Brewer’s fourth try to pass a “constitutional carry” bill. He says people should not have to prove that they are worthy of a constitutional right. “A person in Nebraska should not have to pay money to the government in order to exercise a constitutional right. That right is about carrying defensive arms without interference by state or local governments.”
Senator Jane Raybould of Lincoln opposes the bill saying it would make guns more accessible for people who want to do harm to others or to harm themselves.
The bill still has to clear two more rounds of debate before it can be signed into law.