GOP lawmakers in multiple states are aiming to relax certain gun restrictions by allowing people to carry concealed firearms without having to obtain a permit, continuing a trend that many gun control advocates say is frightening. Fifteen states already allow concealed carry without a permit, and lawmakers in nine others have proposed allowing or expanding the practice. He pointed to a multistate study published in 2018 by the Journal of the American College of Surgeons that found loosening concealed carry permit laws didn't lead to more homicides or violent crime. In Montana, the House recently passed a bill to allow people to carry concealed firearms without a permit in most places. Similar bills that would allow or expand concealed carry without a permit have been introduced in Texas, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Alabama and Georgia.

Source: Fox News January 24, 2021 16:50 UTC