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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — In a unified move to support Second Amendment rights, 24 state attorneys general, led by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey, have formally urged Congress to pass H.R. 38, the “Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.” The letter, dated May 21, 2025, was addressed to House and Senate leadership and outlines strong support for nationwide concealed carry reciprocity for law-abiding citizens.
The letter argues that the measure respects state sovereignty while protecting constitutional liberties. H.R. 38 would allow individuals permitted to carry concealed handguns in their home state to do so in any other state that allows concealed carry, without violating local laws. The bill applies strictly to law-abiding citizens and explicitly excludes individuals prohibited from firearm possession under federal law, including felons, domestic abusers, and those with adjudicated mental illness.
The attorneys general refuted several common criticisms of the bill. Contrary to claims that the bill infringes on state rights, the letter clarifies that H.R. 38 does not override any state’s authority to set its own concealed carry issuance criteria, designate off-limits areas, or regulate the conduct of armed individuals. It also permits private property owners to ban firearms if they choose.
In addressing concerns from law enforcement, the officials pointed out that constitutional and permitless carry are already in effect in the majority of states. They cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s Terry v. Ohio decision as evidence that officers retain the authority to investigate suspicious behavior by armed individuals, ensuring public safety remains intact.
Another major point addressed was the disparity in licensing standards among states. The letter argued that some states deliberately obstruct lawful carry through excessive fees and long wait times, rather than using those processes to screen for dangerous individuals. The attorneys general cited examples in New York and Los Angeles, where past corruption and federal investigations undermined claims of superior safety screening.
Ultimately, the group argued that H.R. 38 would enhance public safety by ensuring that responsible citizens are not criminalized for legally carrying across state lines. “Criminals do not wait for permission to carry guns,” the letter states. “H.R. 38 is not for them. It is for honest and law-abiding citizens who deserve to have the means to protect themselves.”
The letter concludes with a call to action for Congress to protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and ensure consistent legal protections nationwide.
The attorneys general who signed the letter represent Alabama, 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, in addition to Oklahoma and West Virginia.
By championing H.R. 38, these attorneys general are reinforcing a central Second Amendment principle: the right to self-defense should not vanish at state borders. Reciprocity would protect lawful carriers from inadvertently breaking unfamiliar laws while traveling, without sacrificing local control over gun safety standards. Ensuring consistency in how rights are recognized across states aligns with the Constitution and provides peace of mind to responsible gun owners nationwide.
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