SC Attorney reports on new gun laws----the restrictions are becoming less and less
In a national trend that is surprising a lot of people, the gun laws in this country have been significantly loosened up. And by all counts, it looks like that trend may be continuing.
These changes have been largely attributed to in part to the National Rifle Association, the NRA as its commonly called, which has been busy in Washington making huge efforts to hammer away at the existing gun restrictions.
Tennessee has been leading the way on a lot of the changes where it has recently become easier to carry a gun, as it has in many other parts of the country.
Elsewhere in the country new laws have now allowed guns to be carried in autos, restricted whether an employer can inquire of a job applicant if they are a gun owner, and have expanded certain agreements between states where people can travel from one state to another with a gun and a permit.
In a study by The Associated Press over the past two years, 24 states of which are mostly in the West and the South, have had new laws passed totaling 47 new laws.
Of the new changes in the laws, Arizona, Louisiana, Florida and Utah have made it illegal to ban employees from keeping guns in their cars while on company parking lots.
In Louisiana, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas and here in South Carolina, have made some, and in some instances all, information about handgun permits totally confidential.
In Arizona, Kansas and Montana, they have passed laws where now handgun permits may be issued to those who have expunged their felony convictions or they have restored their civil rights.
Not all states have loosened their gun laws. A few have actually tightened restrictions, such as New Jersey where people can now purchase only one handgun per month. Possession of a handgun on public transit is now illegal in Maryland and in Maine colleges and universities now have been given power to regulate their campuses with regards to possessing handguns.
Of one of the more eye opening laws that were passed, was in Tennessee where handguns can be taken in restaurants and bars that serve alcohol. A similar law was passed in Arizona.
All in all however, in 2009 three times the number of laws loosening gun restrictions were passed, than where gun laws tightening restrictions were passed. Many of those close to the legislatures in many states feel the trend will continue for some time.
