Commonsense Carry, also know as permit-less carry or constitutional carry, will allow those who are already legally allowed to openly carry without a round in the chamber to cover their guns and load a round in the chamber. Commonsense Carry will leave Utah's concealed carry permit system untouched.
The USSC has been working to make Commonsense Carry (i.e. permit-less carry, constitutional carry) a reality in Utah for the past several years, only to have our work thwarted by Governor Herbert. Utah used to be the leader in gun rights, but we are now trailing thanks to Governor Herbert. Governor Herbert is the only Republican Governor to have ever vetoed a Commonsense Carry bill (2013), and he is again thwarting your desire for Constitutional Carry this year.
Additionally the Senate, ignoring the separation of powers, is being cowed by the Governor into inaction on Commonsense Carry. The Senate's job is to pass legislation, not to cater to the whims of the Governor. The Senate needs to move Commonsense Carry forward and get a bill on the Governor’s desk. If Governor Herbert wants to veto it, that is his prerogative and should not be a concern of the Senate.
Year after year we have heard your frustration and disappointment as progress on Commonsense Carry languishes while other states move forward adopting permit-less carry. The USSC has heard you loud and clear, and we have been doing everything possible to achieve the results you want.
Unfortunately, it appears that Governor Herbert is simply philosophically opposed to the idea of law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment right to bear arms without a government permission slip. Failing to get the Governor to budge on Commonsense Carry, we sought to convince him to agree to a minor improvement in Utah’s gun laws, which would move us closer to full Commonsense Carry.
Currently it is legal to carry a gun in Utah without a permit so long as the gun is openly carried and there is not a round in the chamber. After Governor Herbert threatened to veto Commonsense Carry, the USSC proposed legislation that would eliminate one of the two requirements-- the requirement to carry openly. The Governor opposed even this.
Undeterred and determined to make some headway towards Commonsense Carry, we proposed the same legislation with a two-year sunset, applicable only to those over 21 years of age and Utah residents. Our thought was that we would move the ball forward and remove those restrictions at a future legislative session. Incredibly, Governor Herbert opposed even this extremely modest legislative improvement. All we were asking is that he allow people who are already legally carrying without a permit to cover up their guns.
As you can see we have bent over backwards trying to accommodate the Governor. He said that, if presented with the same bill he vetoed in 2013, he would veto it again; so we offered him a different bill. He threatened to veto this bill also.
If you want Commonsense Carry to become a reality in Utah, contact Governor Herbert now and ask him to drop his opposition to Commonsense Carry. We have tried working with him and have gotten nowhere. He needs to hear from Utah gun owners now.
Click the below link to e-mail Governor Herbert.
Ask that he “drop his opposition to Commonsense Carry."
In addition to e-mailing Governor Herbert we also recommend that you follow up with a quick phone call asking that he “drop his opposition to Commonsense Carry.”
801-538-1000
Toll Free 1-800-705-2464
Office hours Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Click the below link to e-mail Senate President Wayne Niederhauser.
Ask that he"move a Commonsense Carry bill out of the Senate and onto the Governor’s desk."
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Governor Herbert is the only Republican Governor to have ever vetoed a Commonsense Carry bill.
Governors who vetoed Commonsense Carry:
Gov. Gary Herbert, Republican UT
Gov. Maggie Hassan, Democrat NH
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, Democrat WV
Gov. Steve Bullock, Democrat MT
Governors who signed Commonsense Carry into law:
Gov. Frank Murkowski, Republican AK
Gov. Jan Brewer, Republican AZ
Gov. Sam Brownback, Republican KS
Gov. Paul LePage, Republican ME
Gov. Matt Mead, Republican WY