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North Dakota Moms Demand Action, Everytown Respond After Senate Committee Recommends Passing Reckless Bill That Would Eliminate State’s Concealed Carry Permit Requirement

3.20.2017

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly voted 4-2 to recommend passage of House Bill 1169, a bill that would allow people with histories of unlawful violence and people with no firearms safety training to carry hidden, loaded handguns throughout North Dakota. The bill now moves to floor of the North Dakota Senate.

Like the vast majority of states, North Dakota requires a person to have a permit in order to carry a concealed handgun in public. Obtaining a permit requires handgun safety training and a criminal background check – reasonable measures designed to preserve core public safety standards and prevent dangerous people from carrying hidden, loaded handguns in public places. HB 1169 would repeal this permit requirement.

Polling released last week showed 85 percent of North Dakotans – including 78 percent of gun owners, 80 percent of Republicans and 90 percent of Democrats – support the state’s permit requirement.

More information on HB 1169 is available here.

STATEMENT FROM CATHY LEE, VOLUNTEER WITH THE NORTH DAKOTA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:

“Rejecting House Bill 1169 should be an easy call. This is a bill that would repeal our permit requirement for concealed carry – a common-sense requirement supported by the vast majority of North Dakotans – and let dangerous people carry hidden, loaded handguns in public.

“I urge our senators to listen to the overwhelming support for our permit requirement – including support from most Democrats, Republicans and gun owners – and prevent this reckless bill from becoming law.”