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Permitless carry gun bill sails through Oklahoma committee Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT MAGGIE: HE KNOW THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAS STARTED IN OKLAHOMA. HUNDREDS OF BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE FILED. AND SEVERAL OF THOSE WILL BE READ THIS WEEK. ONE GAINING A LOT OF ATTENTION IS SENATE BILL 12 DEALING WITH LAWFUL AND UNLAWFUL CARRY OF FIREARMS. JOINING US LIVE IN STUDIO THIS MORNING IS THE AUTHOR OF THAT BILL, SENATOR NATHAN DAH GOOD MORNING TO YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. WE KNOW THIS IS A BUSY TIME OF YEAR AS YOU GET STARTED BACK IN SESSION. TALK ABOUT SENATE BILL 12. WHAT ARE THE PARTICULARS? >> SIMILAR TO ONE THAT WE PASSED LAST YEAR, ALMOST THE SAME LANGUAGE. WE JUST CHANGED A FEW THINGS FOR CLARITY. WHAT IT WOULD DO IS CREATE WHAT WE CALL CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. THERE ARE 14 STATES THAT ALREADY HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY. SOUTH DAKOTA JUST PASSED IT THIS LAST WEEK. IT WAS THE FIRST BILL SIGNED BY THEIR NEW GOVERNOR, THE FIRST BILL THEY PASSED. THE GOVERNOR WAS EXCITED TO SIGN THAT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY IN OKLAHOMA. PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE THAT. THE DIFFERENCE IS WE ONLY RECOGNIZE IT FOR THE CITIZENS OF THOSE 14 STATES IN THEIR STATES. PEOPLE IN MISSOURI DON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LICENSING AND ALL OF THAT, PAY THE FEES, FINES TO GET THAT CARD TO SAY THEY CAN CARRY. THEY CAN COME INTO OKLAHOMA AND WE LET THEM CARRY BECAUSE THEY ARE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, BUT WE DON’T AFFORD THAT SAME RIGHT TO OUR CITIZENS IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. MAGGIE: HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE THE BOOKS NOW? HOW IS IT DIFFERENT? >> WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO GET IT. IF YOU WANT TO CARRY OUT OF THE STATE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THAT CARD TO CARRY. WHAT IT WOULD CHANGES FOR LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS HERE IN OKLAHOMA, MILITARY MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVING OR HONORABLY DISCHARGED AM 18 AND UP, THEY COULD CARRY A FIREARM WITHOUT HAVING TO GET THAT LICENSE. IT DOESN’T CHANGE WHERE YOU CAN CARRY. YOU WOULD STILL BE PROHIBITED FROM CARRYING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, A BUSINESS, CHURCH THAT PROHIBITS FIREARMS, COURTHOUSES, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. ALL THOSE PLACES IT IS CURRENTLY PROHIBITED FROM CARRYING, IT WOULD STILL BE. MAGGIE: YOU JUST DON’T NEED THE LICENSE. YOU CAN BUT YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO. I BELIEVE EVERYBODY SHOULD BE TRAINED AND INFORMED. MAGGIE WHY NOT REQUIRE THE LICENSE, WHY DO YOU FEEL THIS IS A GOOD IDEA? >> THE SECOND AMENDMENT SAYS THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED NOT ONLY DO WE REQUIRE THE TRAINING AND LICENSING BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME SUBSTANTIALLY HIGH FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. WE HAVE LOWERED THOSE FEES OVER THE YEARS BUT WE DON’T REQUIRE THE SAM HOOPS FOR PEOPLE TO JUMP THROUGH TO EXERCISE THEIR FREEDOM OF T PRESS, WE DON’T REQUIRE THE SAME THINGS. IF YOU LOOK AT STATES WITH AN ACTIVE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY, WE HAVE NOT SEEN A HUGE SPIKE OR INCREASE IN CRIME, WHERE PEOPLE THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN. WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN THE OPPOSITE. MAGGIE WHEN WE POSTED THIS, 75 QUESTIONS CAME IN IN A FEW MOMENTS. GREG ASKED IF HE WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ANY OF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS CARRYING OR CONCEALING WITHOUT ANY TRAINING. I’M A NRA MEMBER AND PROUDLY SUPPORT OUR GUN LAWS BUT TRAINING IS A MUST. I AGREE TRAINING IS IMPORTANT BUT IT’S AN INDIVIDUAL RIGHT THAT WE ALL HAVE. WE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE AS CITIZENS. WHENEVER WE ARE EXERCISING ANY OF OUR RIGHTS, WE SHOULD ADEQUATELY HAVE TRAINING AND OPERATE APPROPRIATELY. THIS IS THE ONE RIGHT THAT SAYS THE GOVERNMENT SHALL NOT INFRINGE UPON IT. THE NRA DOES A GREAT JOB OF PROVIDIN TRAINING COURSES, INSTRUCTION, HOW TO PROPERLY HANDLE FIREARMS. MAGGIE JOHN SAYS WHY DO WE NEED TO CARRY GUNS WITHOUT TRAINING? WHY SPEND TIME ON THIS WHEN THE STATE HAS MANY MORE MATTERS TO FIX, SCHOOLS, HEALTH CARE, ETC.? WHY WAS THIS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO TAK UP WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THE FACE -- STATE IS FACING? >> I HAVE OVER 50 BILLS AND I’M WORKING ON. WE CAN TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THE OTHER ONES, LIKE THE SCHOOL SAFETY PROCEDURE. I HAVE A BILL THAT WOULD INCREASE FUNDING TO EDUCATION WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ELIMINATING THE CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATE, MAKING US MORE BUSINESS FRIENDLY. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE BILLS. IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE SAYS THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO SECURE OUR RIGHTS. YES, WE NEED TO WORK O FUNDING EDUCATION. WE NEED TO WORK ON REFORMATTING OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN OKLAHOMA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE NEED TO WORK ON THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO ALWAYS BE ABOUT PROTECTING RIGHTS AN WEEKEND DO BOTH, WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME. MAGGIE: WE HEARD FROM A GUN SHOP AND THEY SAID ALMOST ALL SHOPS ALREADY OFFER OR RECOMMEND TRAINING FOR NEW FIREARM OWNERS. WE GET CALLS EVERYDAY FROM NEW OWNERS WANTING TO LEARN PROPER GUN USE AND SAFETY SO WHAT IS THE CONCERN? OR SOMEBODY THAT HAS HAD GUNS THEIR FAMILY, HUNTING, MILITARY, THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND GUNS. WHAT ABOUT THE PERSON THAT HAS ZERO EXPOSURE, ZERO KNOWLEDGE BUYS A GUN, AND NOW THE LAW IS THEY DON’T NEED TO RECEIVE TRAINING? >> THERE IS NOTHING TO SAY THAT THEY CANNOT RECEIVE TRAINING. I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET THE TRAINING. GUNSHOT TO GET TRAINING CALLS ALL THE TIME. THIS WOULD ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO GET TRAINING, BUT WOULD NO LONGER REQUIRE THAT PERMITTING. I STILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET TRAINING. THE FREE MARKET OFFERS THAT TRAINING IN DIFFERENT WAYS. PEOPLE COULD STILL DO THAT. WE ARE NOT ELIMINATING THE TRAINING. MAGGIE WE HEARD FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE IN SUPPORT OF YOUR EFFORTS, INCLUDING ROBERT. SAYS, ASK HIM WHAT TOOK SO LONG AND WHY UNEDUCATED AND ILL-INFORMED PEOPLE THINK THE SECOND AMENDMENT HAS A TRAINING REQUIREMENT HIDDEN IN IT? WHAT PART OF SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED DO PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND >> WE WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO OTHERS PERCEPTIONS AND THINGS, BUT THIS IS A RIGHT THAT SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. WE HEARD WITH OPEN CARRY THAT IT WOULD BE THE WILD WEST, AND THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. STATISTICALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATES THAT HAVE PASSED OPEN CARRY AND EVERYTHING, IT IS ALWAYS END OF THE WORLD SCENARIOS THAT NEVER COME TO FRUITION. I THINK I HAVE SEEN TO W OF PEOPLE OPEN CARRYING IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. WE HAVE A HOLLYWOOD VERSION OF THE WILD WEST. IT IS VERY HOLLYWOOD. IT IS GORY, MADE TO BE VIOLENT, UNFORTUNATELY, ENTERTAINING. SOMETIMES WE HAVE THE WRONG PERCEPTION ABOUT FIREARMS. I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT FIREARMS AND WE WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THEM BUT HE IS RIGHT. THE LAWS OF US THAT WANT TO PROTECT AND CARRY IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO SO WITHOUT PAYING THE GOVERNMENT A FEE TO DO THAT. MAGG