Constitutional Open Carry Bill Heads to Oklahoma Senate for Vote

Oklahoma’s proposed Constitutional Carry bill is one step closer to reaching the governor’s desk.

The bill, which aims to pass Constitutional Carry into law, would allow residents 21 years of age who have not been convicted of a felony to open-carry without a permit. Oklahomans can still apply for a concealed carry permit if they are looking for reciprocity in other states.

Advertisement

The House spent two hours on HB 3098, authored by Representative Jeff Coody, before voting 73-15 in favor of the bill in March.

“A gun can be a wonderful thing or it can be a horrible thing, if it’s used the wrong way. And it’s a tool, just like anything else and we have the freedom to get all the training we need and we should,” Representative Coody said.

During a debate on the bill Wednesday in front of the Senate Rules Committee, Senator Kay Floyd said, “I don’t understand why we’re eliminating background checks. Criminal background checks. I mean…don’t we have to balance out the safety factor for all Oklahomans?”

Senator Nathan Dahm, one of the bill’s authors, was quick to reply, “Thirty states already do this. There’s 30 states that already allow permit-less open carry, so I think this is a step in that right direction. I mean I believe in Constitutional Carry. I believe in the Second Amendment.”

Advertisement

In case Senator Floyd is unaware, background checks… criminal background checks are still necessary to buy guns in the state of Oklahoma.

In addition to approving the Constitutional Carry bill by a vote of 10-3, the Senate Rules Committee also approved a resolution calling for a public vote on limiting the Legislature’s ability to regulate carrying firearms.

The bill has been sent to the full senate for a vote.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member