This Thursday, January 20, at 1:30 p.m., the Nebraska Assembly Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on LB 773, a bill to eliminate Nebraska’s permitting system and allow individuals to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public without a permit or safety training – a policy shown to increase gun violence in other states and broadly opposed by law enforcement. Lawmakers should prioritize the safety of Nebraska residents and reject this dangerous bill.
Eliminating Nebraska’s concealed handgun license requirement would put Nebraska communities in danger by allowing people with dangerous histories — who would not have passed a background check — and those without any firearm safety training to carry loaded handguns in public. Permitless carry bills that eliminate state permitting requirements have been proven to increase gun violence in other states that have tried similar policies. States that have weakened their firearm permitting system have experienced an 11 percent increase in handgun homicide rates and a 13-15 percent increase in violent crime rates.
What to know about permitless carry:
- Permitless carry laws strip away a critical tool that law enforcement uses to differentiate between responsible gun owners and those who are prohibited from carrying a loaded weapon in public.
- Permitless carry has been widely opposed by law enforcement across the country in states that have attempted to eliminate permitting requirements.
- Polling also shows that permitting systems like Nebraska’s current system are overwhelmingly popular. 88 percent of Americans think you should get a permit before carrying a concealed gun in public.
More information about permitless carry is available here. Additional information about gun violence in Nebraska is available here.
