OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today criticized members of the House for passing SB 1212. While this bill originally dealt with the carry of guns in wildlife refuge and management areas, it was amended to eliminate the requirement that residents of Oklahoma get a permit before carrying a loaded handgun in public. Under SB 1212, it would be legal for Oklahomans to carry loaded handguns in public with no permit and without passing a background check or completing basic gun safety training.
This vote comes the week after the 23-year mark of the Oklahoma City bombing. Following the bombing, Timothy McVeigh was brought in on charges of unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon. While he was in custody, law enforcement discovered he had perpetrated the bombing. SB 1212 would unravel the very law that allowed officers to detain McVeigh.
Rhonda Hooper, chair of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, wrote an op-ed this weekend outlining the dangers of permitless carry and the impact this policy would have on the rights of business owners. More information about the impact of permitless carry policies – including increases in firearm violence – is available here.
STATEMENT FROM ALYSON KING, VOLUNTEER WITH THE OKLAHOMA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“Permitless carry is an incredibly dangerous policy. In fact, states that have passed permitless carry have seen a spike in gun crimes. Nobody should be able to legally carry a loaded handgun in public without a permit and without going through a background check and basic gun safety training, full stop. We’re calling on members of the Senate to demonstrate the courage members of the House failed to and stop this reckless bill from becoming law.”