Rep. Thomas Massie introduced a federal Constitutional carry bill on September 11.

“Today, I introduced HR 9534, the National Constitutional Carry Act,” Massie (R-KY) posted to X. “No one should have to beg the government to exercise a constitutionally protected right anywhere in the country.”

“Constitutional carry means that the state’s law does not prohibit citizens who can legally possess a firearm from carrying handguns, (openly and/or in a concealed manner) thus no state permit is required. Sometimes, constitutional carry may be conditional such as in those states that have no laws prohibiting the open carry of a handgun but which require a permit to carry the handgun concealed,” the U.S. Concealed Carry Association states on its website.

The term “constitutional carry,” sometimes called unrestricted carry or Vermont carry, is partially derived from a view of the Second Amendment that interprets the provision as broadly as possible.

Constitutional carry and permitless carry are terms that are frequently used interchangeably. When there is a difference between the two, it refers to statutory situations where someone must meet certain qualifications, like having no DUIs in the last 10 years to legally carry or varying regulations about whether someone needs a permit to open or concealed carry.

Currently, 29 states recognize Constitutional Carry. The last state to join this group was Louisiana, where the law took effect on July 4, 2024.

The Texas Legislature passed HB 1927 in 2021 after several tense days in the House and Senate. The bill allows most Texans to carry a handgun on their person in a public place without the need to go through the license-to-carry process. HB 1927 took effect on September 1, 2021

The text of Massie’s law says, “No State or political subdivision of a State may impose a criminal or civil penalty on, or otherwise indirectly dissuade the carrying of firearms (including by imposing a financial or other barrier to entry) in public by residents or nonresidents of that State who are citizens of the United States and otherwise eligible to possess firearms under State and Federal law.”

The National Association for Gun Rights tweeted, “The National Constitutional Carry Act — will ensure that all law-abiding Americans can carry a firearm for self-defense, openly or concealed, without being subjected to bureaucratic rigmarole, regulations, expensive fees, and ATF intervention.”

Not everyone supports these types of laws, however.

Gifford’s Law Center website says, “Permitless carry laws not only increase the risk of intentional violence, but also the risk of unintentional shootings, with some extant research suggesting that unintentional firearm injuries may occur more frequently after states weaken permitting standards.”

The organization is one named for Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Gifford, wife of incumbent Senator and Astronaut Mark Kelly, who was shot in the head while campaigning in 2011.