JEFFERSON CITY • Interest in concealed carry permits in Missouri appears to be dropping after passage of a new law making them unnecessary to carry hidden guns and other weapons in many places, according to Highway Patrol data provided to The Associated Press.
Data from the patrol, which does the fingerprint checking for permits, show fewer than 1,600 fingerprint submissions from local sheriffs' departments were processed in December.
That's about 750 fewer processed than the previous three-year low of about 2,300 in June 2014. Records only date back to January 2014 because lawmakers in 2013 required the agency to destroy past records of fingerprinting and concealed carry permits.
Lawmakers and law enforcement officials say the recent drop was expected because of the new law, which was passed by lawmakers in September over former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's veto.
"It's pretty common-sense," said Rep. Stacey Newman, D-Richmond Heights, who opposed the law. "If you don't need a permit, why would you get one?"
The measure, described by supporters as "constitutional carry," allows people to carry hidden guns without a permit or training anywhere they can currently carry weapons openly, effective this year.
More:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/concealed-carry-interest-drops-after-passage-of-missouri-gun-law/article_5e243ab2-28b5-5986-9b0e-ad57e8365401.htmlThought some might find it of interest.
