MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined a coalition of 23 state attorneys general in calling on Congress to pass the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill designed to establish a national framework for lawful concealed carry across state lines.
In a letter addressed to House leadership, Attorney General Marshall and his counterparts expressed strong support for H.R. 38, which would allow individuals who are legally permitted to carry a concealed firearm in their home state to exercise that right in any other state where concealed carry is allowed. The letter was led by the attorneys general of Oklahoma and West Virginia and signed by officials from a total of 25 states.
“Congress has the power to resolve this issue, and we are calling for immediate action on H.R. 38,” Marshall stated. “Although Alabama no longer requires a permit to carry a concealed firearm, Alabamians traveling around our country might opt to purchase a permit to enjoy national reciprocity and would no longer face the risk of criminal penalties simply for exercising their constitutional rights in states with more restrictive laws.”
Supporters of the legislation argue that concealed carry is a constitutional right that should be respected nationwide. The letter highlights that federal law already prohibits individuals with disqualifying criminal or mental health histories from possessing firearms, and contends that concealed carry license holders are statistically more law-abiding than the general population.
“Concealed carry is a constitutional right, and it can have substantial public safety benefits by allowing people the means to respond to emergent threats,” the letter states. “Yet our constituents are threatened with arrest, prosecution, and prison time for conduct that is legal in most states. This is unacceptable.”
The attorneys general assert that inconsistent state laws present a challenge to lawful gun owners and that national reciprocity would help eliminate legal confusion while upholding Second Amendment protections.
In addition to Alabama, states represented in the letter include Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
The bill’s fate now rests with the U.S. House of Representatives, where similar legislation has faced both support and opposition in recent years.
