New Report from Giffords Finds Permitless Carry Laws Jeopardize Public Safety
Report Comes As Florida Introduces Permitless Carry Legislation
Ever-growing body of research suggests these policies lead to increases in firearm homicides, assaults, and crime
Washington DC — Today, Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, released a report outlining the dangers of permitless carry laws. The Truth About Permitless Carryreveals how these laws remove important protections and increase the risk of gun violence.The new report follows the recent announcement that a permitless carry bill will be introduced in Florida this legislative session.
Kelly Drane, Research Director, Giffords:
“Permitless carry laws remove critical public safety standards by allowing almost anyone to carry a concealed gun with no background check and no training. In the past seven years alone, 21 states have adopted permitless carry laws, and Florida could be next. Policymakers in Florida and across the country who are considering passing permitless carry laws should think twice before needlessly putting lives at risk. In light of the continued gun violence epidemic facing our country, it is imperative that policymakers stop passing this dangerous policy and focus on the solutions we know ensure public safety and protect lives.”
Samantha Barrios, Giffords Florida State Director:
“Many Floridians have immigrated to the United States looking for a safer place to raise their families. Permitless carry in Florida would undoubtedly increase gun violence even more and make it easier for fistfights to turn into gun fights. We urge our leaders to do the right thing and put our families first and not the whims of the gun lobby.”
The report finds that many states have weakened or eliminated public carry regulations in recent years. Twenty-five states in the US have adopted permitless carry laws, allowing people who have never passed a background check or taken a firearm safety course to carry hidden, loaded guns in public. States which have weakened their permitting laws have experienced a 13 to 15% increase in violent crime and an 11% increase in handgun homicides.
States which require a public carry permit often require individuals who wish to carry guns in public to undergo a background check, take a firearm safety course, and meet heightened eligibility standards. Permitless carry laws strip these important protections. In fact, only one of the 25 states with permitless carry laws requires a person to pass a background check to buy a gun. States that have weakened their public carry standards and removed these provisions have seen significant increases in firearm homicides and assaults. For example, states which weakened permitting laws and allowed people convicted of violent misdemeanors to obtain permits experienced a 24% increase in firearm assaults.
Proponents of these laws have called them “constitutional carry,” but there is nothing in the Constitution that requires letting unvetted, potentially dangerous, and untrained individuals carry guns in public. The research is abundantly clear that having unvetted, untrained people carrying hidden loaded guns in our malls, supermarkets, movie theaters, restaurants, and city streets will make those places less safe, turning arguments and fistfights into deadly shootings.
Read the full report HERE.
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