Oklahoma governor vetoes bill to allow adults to carry gun without a license

Doug Stanglin | USA TODAY

The Republican governor of Oklahoma, one of the nation's reddest states, vetoed a bill late Friday that would have permitted adults to carry firearms without a permit.

The move by Gov. Mary Fallin marked a rare defeat in such a conservative state by the National Rifle Association, which strongly backed the measure.

The bill is similar to so-called “constitutional carry” legislation adopted in a dozen other states. It would have authorized people 21 and older and military personnel who are at least 18 to legally carry a handgun, either openly or concealed, without a state-issued license or permit.

The state currently requires a license to carry a handgun openly or concealed.

Fallin cited opposition from the business community and law enforcement authorities for her decision. In a statement announcing the veto, Fallin emphasized her support for the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms and noted she has previously signed concealed and open carry measures.

“I believe the firearms laws we currently have in place are effective, appropriate and minimal,” she said. Fallin noted that the bill also would have eliminated the requirement for a training course and reduced the level of background checks to carry a firearm.

The veto drew the immediate ire of the NRA. "Make no mistake, this temporary setback will be rectified when Oklahoma residents elect a new and genuinely pro-Second Amendment governor," said Chris Cox, NRA executive director for legislative affairs.

He said the governor, who is not permitted under state law to run for a third term, was ignoring her promise during her 2014 re-election campaign to back a "constitutional carry" gun law.

The measure had passed the Senate by a vote of 33-9 and the House by 59-28. The Legislature already has adjourned its session so lawmakers will not be able to revisit the issue until next year after the election of a new governor.

The bill had drawn opposition from the business community and law enforcement authorities, including top officials with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation who have said it could erode public safety. The bureau said it would lose nearly $5 million annually in licensing fees under the new law and have to eliminate about 60 full-time positions.

The Tulsa Regional Chamber opposed the bill because it “impairs the right of businesses and property owners to implement safeguards to prohibit untrained individuals with no background checks from carrying guns into their establishment,” according to the Tulsa World.

The Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, which wrote and strongly supported the measure, had pushed for a similar bill since 2010.

Don Spencer, its president, said he was “disappointed that Oklahoma rights were not respected” by Fallin's veto.

“She had a great opportunity to defend our liberty and leave a wonderful legacy and she chose not to,” Spencer said, according the World.

Fallin has vetoed gun bills before. In 2014, she rejected a bill requiring state authorities to sign off on applications for federally regulated items such as silencers, short-barreled rifles and automatic weapons within 15 days. But the Legislature overrode her veto and the bill became law anyway.

In 2015, she vetoed legislation that restricted businesses from banning guns at parks, fairgrounds and recreational areas, a veto that remained in place.

Contributing: Associated Press

