Changes

Constitutional carry means that the carrying on one's person or in/on one's [[vehicle]] of firearms, concealed or not, is generally not restricted by the [[law]]. A constitutional carry [[state]] is a "free state" from a gun law perspective (see "[[Second Amendment]] right to keep and bear arms").  However, this should not be confused with the use of "free state" by [[libertarian]]s who use that phrase to advocate for political migration to achieve political power.

Constitutional carry means that the carrying on one's person or in/on one's [[vehicle]] of firearms, concealed or not, is generally not restricted by the [[law]]. A constitutional carry [[state]] is a "free state" from a gun law perspective (see "[[Second Amendment]] right to keep and bear arms").  However, this should not be confused with the use of "free state" by [[libertarian]]s who use that phrase to advocate for political migration to achieve political power.

The legal term "constitutional carry" describes the [[Bill of Rights]] legal interpretation that the Second Amendment to the [[United States Constitution]] allows/permits no regulations or restrictions on [[gun ownership]] (eg. "''Shall not be infringed''", in the Second Amendment). In actual practice, the 2008 ''[[District of Columbia v. Heller]]'' [[United States Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] decision undercuts the descriptive power of the phrase "constitutional carry" because the opinion suggests that some [[state]] or [[city]]-[[county]] [[big government|government]] controls may be allowed, at least as to certain types of weapons. The decision was limited to the possession of firearms in one's home.

The legal term "constitutional carry" describes the [[Bill of Rights]] legal interpretation that the Second Amendment to the [[United States Constitution]] allows/permits no regulations or restrictions on [[gun ownership]] (e.g. "''Shall not be infringed''", in the Second Amendment). In actual practice, the 2008 ''[[District of Columbia v. Heller]]'' [[United States Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] decision undercuts the descriptive power of the phrase "constitutional carry" because the opinion suggests that some [[state]] or [[city]]-[[county]] [[big government|government]] controls may be allowed, at least as to certain types of weapons. The decision was limited to the possession of firearms in one's home.

==Murder rate==

==Murder rate==

According to the "uniform crime reporting statistics" of the [[FBI]], as reported by the [[NRA]]<ref>https://medium.com/@NRA/why-you-dont-need-to-freak-out-over-permitless-carry-1a3709355897 Why you don’t need to freak out over permitless carry</ref>, handgun murders decreased in Alaska, Arizona, and Wyoming after those states enacted Constitutional Carry laws in 2003, 2010, and 2011, respectively.<ref>https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s FBI -- Crime in the U.S.</ref><ref>Hawkins, Awr (June 7, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/07/fbi-handgun-murders-dropped-concealed-permit-requirements-abolished/ FBI: Handgun Murders Dropped when These States Abolished Concealed Permit Requirements]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 7, 2017.</ref>

According to the "uniform crime reporting statistics" of the [[FBI]], as reported by the [[NRA]],<ref>https://medium.com/@NRA/why-you-dont-need-to-freak-out-over-permitless-carry-1a3709355897 Why you don’t need to freak out over permitless carry</ref> handgun murders decreased in Alaska, Arizona, and Wyoming after those states enacted Constitutional Carry laws in 2003, 2010, and 2011, respectively.<ref>https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s FBI -- Crime in the U.S.</ref><ref>Hawkins, Awr (June 7, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/07/fbi-handgun-murders-dropped-concealed-permit-requirements-abolished/ FBI: Handgun Murders Dropped when These States Abolished Concealed Permit Requirements]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 7, 2017.</ref>

==States with Constitutional Carry==

==States with Constitutional Carry==

* [[Alaska]]: June 11, 2003 House Bill 102<ref name="Surge"/>

* [[Alaska]]: June 11, 2003 House Bill 102<ref name="Surge"/>

* [[Arizona]]: April 16, 2010 Senate Bill 1108.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fischer|first=Howard|url=http://www.yourwestvalley.com/valleyandstate/article_82729ea3-6ae3-5eb8-9714-7faf96841636.html|title=Concealed weapons bill goes to Brewer for signature|work=Daily News-Sun}}</ref><ref name="Surge"/>

* [[Arizona]]: April 16, 2010 Senate Bill 1108.<ref name="Surge"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Fischer|first=Howard|url=http://www.yourwestvalley.com/valleyandstate/article_82729ea3-6ae3-5eb8-9714-7faf96841636.html|title=Concealed weapons bill goes to Brewer for signature|work=Daily News-Sun}}</ref>

* [[Arkansas]]: April 4, 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansascarry.com/media/kunena/attachments/556/Act746pressrelease.pdf|title=Arkansas Act 746 of 2013 Press Release|publisher=arkansascarry.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Acts/Act746.pdf|title=Arkansas Act 746 of the Regular Session|publisher=89th General Assembly - Arkansas State Legislature}}</ref><ref>See Opinion No. 2013-047, footnote 7 dated July 8, 2013 at http://arkansasag.gov/opinions/index.php.</ref><ref name="Surge"/>

* [[Arkansas]]: April 4, 2013<ref name="Surge"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansascarry.com/media/kunena/attachments/556/Act746pressrelease.pdf|title=Arkansas Act 746 of 2013 Press Release|publisher=arkansascarry.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Acts/Act746.pdf|title=Arkansas Act 746 of the Regular Session|publisher=89th General Assembly - Arkansas State Legislature}}</ref><ref>See Opinion No. 2013-047, footnote 7 dated July 8, 2013 at http://arkansasag.gov/opinions/index.php.</ref>

* [[Vermont]]:<ref name="Surge"/> Since the Constitution was first ratified in 1789, Vermont was the only [[state]] to permit "Constitutional carry". From 1789 until the [[1800s]], Constitutional carry was the "law of land". During the [[20th century]], all states except Vermont had legislated [[gun control]] bans on [[concealed carry]]. In most states, however, there was an exemption for those [[citizen]]s with a [[license|permit]]. Vermont has a strictly worded state constitution,[http://www.usconstitution.net/vtconst.html#Article9] and anti-gun liberals have not been able to have any restriction added on the method of how one carries a firearm. For this reason, Constitutional carry is often still referred to as "Vermont carry" among old persons.

* [[Vermont]]:<ref name="Surge"/> Since the Constitution was first ratified in 1789, Vermont was the only [[state]] to permit "Constitutional carry". From 1789 until the [[1800s]], Constitutional carry was the "law of land". During the [[20th century]], all states except Vermont had legislated [[gun control]] bans on [[concealed carry]]. In most states, however, there was an exemption for those [[citizen]]s with a [[license|permit]]. Vermont has a strictly worded state constitution,[http://www.usconstitution.net/vtconst.html#Article9] and anti-gun liberals have not been able to have any restriction added on the method of how one carries a firearm. For this reason, Constitutional carry is often still referred to as "Vermont carry" among old persons.