America is one signature away from having 27 constitutional carry states.
The unicameral legislature in the midwestern state of Nebraska passed its final version of LB77 – this year’s version of constitutional carry – on Wednesday morning.
Much of the opposition to the bill – which was expressed by several legislators who represent more populous areas in the state including Lincoln and Omaha – centered around a desire for “carveouts” for these urban areas.
Senator John Fredrickson of Omaha was one such legislator who stated concerns about the nuances of the bill, and acknowledged that it may work in rural parts of the state but in Omaha and urban areas, it doesn’t.
Still, his fellow legislators decided that the second amendment doesn’t need carveouts and that geography shouldn’t affect one’s constitutional rights.
Travis Couture-Lovelady, Nebraska state director for the NRA noted in a media release issued by the group that “state-by-state, NRA is working to eliminate overly burdensome carry requirements that have put restrictions on law-abiding Americans for far too long. Nebraska is the latest state to recognize law-abiding citizens are not the problem — criminals are.”
The final vote on the legislation was 33 Yea votes to 14 Nay votes, which was the minimum number required to pass the legislation.
Upon receiving the news, Governor Jim Pillen thanked the legislature for sending this bill to his desk.
I am proud to support LB 77 and Nebraskans’ constitutional rights. Thank you to the Nebraska Legislature for sending this bill to my desk. pic.twitter.com/25kn0oT0jCApril 19, 2023
Pillen has previously pledged to back the bill becoming law. A release issued by the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action last month stated “Gov. Pillen has pledged to sign Constitutional Carry into law. He has never wavered in the fight to expand and protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Nebraskans.”
25 states have already enacted constitutional carry including Alabama, Ohio, Indiana, and Georgia which passed their bills last year. Florida beat Nebraska in the race to become the 26th constitutional carry state when Governor Ron DeSantis signed his state’s constitutional carry legislation earlier this month. Florida’s law will be enacted on July 1st, 2023.
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