The state Senate has approved a bill that would allow adults 21 and older to carry a concealed, unloaded gun without a permit. The proposal is a priority for Republicans newly in charge of the Senate.

But the measure faces certain defeat in the state House, which is still controlled by Democrats.

The bill would allow the state’s residents to carry concealed firearms without requiring them to obtain a permit to do so. The permits would be issued for gun owners who want to leave the state. Democrats argued against the bill in the Senate but did not have the votes to block it. The measure won initial approval on a voice vote and faces a procedural vote before heading to the House.