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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Judiciary Committee has taken a significant step toward expanding Second Amendment protections by advancing two NRA-backed bills on March 25, 2025. The committee held a markup session and voted to report favorably on H.R. 38, the “Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act”, and H.R. 2184, the “Firearm Due Process Protection Act”—sending both to the full House of Representatives for further action.
H.R. 38 – Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act
Sponsored by Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC), H.R. 38 passed the committee on a party-line vote of 18-9. The bill seeks to create a federal framework allowing individuals who are legally allowed to carry a concealed handgun in their home state to carry it in any other state that allows concealed carry for its residents.
Notable provisions include:
- National Reciprocity: Legal concealed carriers from one state can carry in others with similar laws.
- Preemption of Conflicting State Laws: Most state and local restrictions that contradict the bill’s protections would be overridden.
- Legal Protections: Provides a private right of action for carriers whose rights are interfered with and shields them from arrest without probable cause.
- Respect for Property Rights: Allows private entities and governments to restrict firearms on their property if they choose.
This bill addresses a patchwork of inconsistent state laws that currently place concealed carriers at legal risk when traveling, even if their actions would be lawful in their home state.
What’s Next: H.R. 38 will now be considered by the full U.S. House. If passed, it would advance to the Senate, where it would likely face strong debate. Advocacy groups are expected to ramp up efforts to ensure its progress.
H.R. 2184 – Firearm Due Process Protection Act
Also advancing from committee was H.R. 2184, introduced by Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN). This legislation was approved by voice vote and is designed to enforce accountability within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
The bill mandates that NICS finalize decisions on record correction requests within 60 days. Law-abiding citizens wrongly denied the ability to purchase a firearm due to data errors would gain a statutory assurance of timely resolution—closing a due process gap that has frustrated many firearm purchasers.
What’s Next: H.R. 2184 is now eligible for a vote on the House floor. If passed, it will move to the Senate. The bill is expected to garner bipartisan interest due to its focus on correcting procedural issues within existing law.
These two legislative developments mark key milestones in the ongoing effort to protect and reinforce the rights of responsible gun owners. National reciprocity has long been a top goal for the pro-Second Amendment community, and ensuring due process within NICS helps preserve the integrity of the system while safeguarding individual rights.
As both bills advance, gun owners and advocacy organizations will be watching closely to support their continued movement through Congress.
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