Utah governor vetoes bill to carry concealed gun

[Paul E Ester]

The governor said Friday he had vetoed a bill that would have allowed Utah residents to carry a hidden, unloaded gun without a permit.

It was one of the most hotly contested measures to come out of the Utah Legislature this year.

"As I've said it before, if it ain't broke, don't fix it," Gov. Gary Herbert said, noting the current system has not inhibited the ability of state residents to bear arms.

Supporters of the bill say they will urge lawmakers to overturn the veto.

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/state-and-regional/utah/utah-governor-vetoes-bill-to-carry-concealed-bill/article_35094504-aa20-5150-8773-a891a0906cfb.html

More than 430,000 people hold Utah concealed carry permits. That includes Utah residents and some people who live outside the state.

[gejohnston]

1. why carry an unloaded one to begin with?

Unless you need a CCW to carry in a locked case or some such thing. I fail to see the logic either way.

[guardian]

12. I thought the same thing

Until I read the article

"Rep. John Mathis, who sponsored the bill, told lawmakers during this year's legislative session that the current law presents a problem for ranchers who inadvertently cover their gun when putting on a jacket in bad weather.

"All this bill does is simply allow those who want to carry openly _ who can do it now _ to put a coat over that gun," Mathis said last month."

It's kind of the reverse of the situation where a CCW accidentally/momentarily exposes their weapon. For example reaching for the high shelf in the supermarket. Then some delicate flower antigunner wets themselves and causes a stink over nothing.

[rdharma]

2. WTF?!!!!!

[Bay Boy]

3. I had to read this several times to figure it out...

....Because I was thinking they must already have CCW in UT, but this is about a permit not being needed if the concealed weapon is not loaded.

[mokawanis]

4. Surprised and pleased to read this

Every little bit helps. I'm opposed to concealed carry WITH a permit, so the idea of concealed carry without a permit strikes me as an incredibly dumb and dangerous thing to let people do.

[av8r1998]

8. sooo

You support open carry?

[gejohnston]

10. never been an issue in Vermont

that has always allowed permitless concealed carry. What makes the Utah bill unusual is that it allows permitless concealed carry only if the gun is unloaded.

[ileus]

5. What good is a unloaded safety device anyway?

As long as they have CC and OC as options it should be ok.

Can they OC in Utah without a permit? If so there's no real problem.

[CokeMachine]

6. Utah has Open Carry so this means squat.

Carry permits issued? Yes Yes - Open carry allowed without permit and concealed carry of loaded firearm allowed with permit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_Utah

[av8r1998]

13. Right but....

I really don't understand the distiction of permit for CC, no permit for OC.
A gun is a gun is a gun. Not sure why they want to permit one mode of carry and not the other.
If anything, I'd think it would be the other way around. Permitless CC, Permitted OC.
Why? Because tactically OC opens up a whole new training and equipment issue, specifically weapons retention.
Ever see that guy that shot himself in the foot trying to draw from a Serpa Holster? There have been so many accidents, Front Sight doesn't allow students to train with them anymore.

[Straw Man]

17. In Utah ...

... "unloaded" is defined as requiring more than one action to fire the gun. A semi-auto with a full magazine but an empty chamber is "unloaded" in Utah. A double-action revolver with an empty chamber in the "ready" position is also "unloaded."

I'm not sure about this, but it seems that by this definition a single-action revolver would always be considered "unloaded."

[av8r1998]

7. you do know

That in Utah you can carry a loaded gun without a permit..
As long as it isn't concealed... right?

[Eleanors38]

11. Reasonable house-cleaning action within state powers. nt