As a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association with an “A+” rating for her voting record in the Tennessee House of Representatives, Debra Maggart never imagined that her political career would end this way.Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-3rd, announced Wednesday he has introduced legislation to allow people to carry concealed guns across state lines.
Under Stutzman’s bill, the Respecting States’ Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, someone with a concealed-carry permit issued by one state could carry his weapon in all other states that allow concealed firearms.
“The right to self-defense is the cornerstone of the Second Amendment and my responsibility as a father to keep my family safe doesn’t change when I cross state lines,” Stutzman, who has a concealed-carry permit, said in a statement.
The House approved similar legislation in 2011. That bill and a Senate version were not considered by the Senate.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s print edition of The Journal Gazette or visit www.journalgazette.net after 3 a.m. Thursday.
