Prohibit Open Carry
What does it solve?
Carrying firearms visibly in public, known as open carry, is a dangerous policy. It is exploited by white supremacists and opposed by law enforcement and the public. Members of hate groups regularly openly carry guns in a show of intimidation.
Research shows that the presence of a visible gun makes people more aggressive. Allowing guns to be carried openly in public also makes it very difficult to distinguish between the “good guys” and the “bad guys” during an active shooter incident. States should prohibit guns from being carried openly in public.
Open Carry
Which states regulate the open carry of firearms?
Alabama has not adopted this policy
Alaska has not adopted this policy
Arizona has not adopted this policy
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
California has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Prohibited for all firearms
Colorado has not adopted this policy
Connecticut has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Prohibited for all firearms
Delaware has not adopted this policy
Florida has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Prohibited for all firearms
Georgia has not adopted this policy
Hawaii has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Permit required for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns.
Idaho has not adopted this policy
Illinois has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Prohibited for all firearms
Indiana has not adopted this policy
Iowa has not adopted this policy
Kansas has not adopted this policy
Kentucky has not adopted this policy
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
Maine has not adopted this policy
Maryland has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Prohibited for handguns; open carry not regulated for rifles and shotguns.
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Permit required for all firearms.
Michigan has not adopted this policy
Minnesota has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Permit required for all firearms.
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
Missouri has not adopted this policy
Montana has not adopted this policy
Nebraska has not adopted this policy
Nevada has not adopted this policy
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
New Jersey has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Prohibited for handguns; permit required for long guns.
New Mexico has not adopted this policy
New York has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Prohibited for handguns; open carry not regulated for rifles and shotguns.
North Carolina has not adopted this policy
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
Ohio has not adopted this policy
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
Oregon has not adopted this policy
Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Regulated only in Philadelphia
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Permit required for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns (unless unloaded)
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
Tennessee has adopted this policy
- How is open carry regulated?
- Open carry not regulated for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns (unless unloaded).
Texas has not adopted this policy
Utah has not adopted this policy
Vermont has not adopted this policy
Virginia has not adopted this policy
Washington has not adopted this policy
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
Wisconsin has not adopted this policy
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
Myth & Fact
Myth
Regulating open carry would violate the Second Amendment.
Fact
Several states have laws prohibiting or otherwise regulating open carry, such as prohibitions on firearms at demonstrations, that are entirely consistent with the Second Amendment. Restrictions on public carry—including open carry—of firearms trace back to at least the fourteenth century, and have existed throughout the history of the United States.
How it works
Open carry is a threat to public safety.
Open carry is a favored exercise by hate groups who regularly carry guns openly in a show of intimidation. In advance of a planned “Unite the Right” White Nationalist rally in Charlottesville, VA on August 12, 2017, a self-styled “militia group” descended on the city openly carrying handguns and military-style rifles. Later that day, one person was killed and 19 others injured when a white supremacist rammed a car into a crowd of counter- protesters.
In the July 2016 mass shooting of five police officers in Dallas, the work of police officers was made more difficult as they struggled to distinguish between people legally carrying guns openly and the gunman who opened fire. Afterwards, both the police chief and the mayor said law enforcement couldn’t tell “good guys with guns” from “bad guys with guns” because it is perfectly legal to walk around in public with an exposed handgun or rifle in Texas.
A small minority of states prohibit the open carry of firearms altogether, while others require a permit to do so. However, while many states require a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public, in the majority of states it is legal for civilians to openly carry handguns or long guns without a permit. This is often the result of the absence of state laws regulating the open carry of firearms in public, commonly known as the “open carry loophole.” Because responsible gun owners have not traditionally carried firearms openly, many state legislatures have not passed laws regulating the practice.