Everytown, Idaho Moms Denounce Senate Committee’s Passage of Dangerous Bill that Would Dismantle State’s Concealed Carry Permitting System

Previous Polling Found 81 Percent of Idahoans Support Requiring a Permitting System for Concealed Carry, Leading Idaho Chiefs of Police Announce Their Support for Current System

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement denouncing the Idaho Senate State Affairs Committee for passing Senate Bill 1389, which would endanger public safety by dismantling Idaho’s 99-year-old concealed carry permitting system and enabling individuals to carry hidden, loaded firearms on the streets of Idaho’s cities and towns with absolutely no training, no criminal history check and no permit. Previous polling found 81 percent of Idahoans support requiring a permitting system for the concealed carry of loaded handguns in public. This past weekend, Boise Chief Bill Bones, Meridian Chief Jeff Lavey and Garden City Chief Rick Allen published an opinion piece in the Idaho Statesman citing safety concerns and announcing their opposition to the proposed legislation.

STATEMENT FROM HANNAH SHARP, A VOLUNTEER WITH THE IDAHO CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:

“Idaho has a strong tradition of responsible gun ownership. For nearly 100 years, our current concealed carry permitting system has kept our communities, families and law enforcement safe. But instead of standing up for public safety and preserving our longstanding system, our elected leaders in the Senate today passed Senate Bill 1389. If signed into law, SB 1389 would dismantle our current system and put Idahoans at risk, including law enforcement officers who risk their safety to protect us. Our current system is popular and it works: 81 percent of Idahoans and Idaho’s leading chiefs of police support our existing permitting system. So why are our elected leaders attempting to undo a system that has worked for a century and is supported by law enforcement? Moms across Idaho will continue to fight against this bill and to advocate for safer gun laws – our families’ lives depend on it.”