Guam Introduces Shall Issue Concealed Carry

A public hearing in committee on the proposed shall issue concealed carry bill will be held in Guam on 3 April at 9 am, Senator Tony  Ada said in a Radio Interview on 27 March.  Information about the public hearing should be available on K57 radio with Ray Gibson.

Bill 296 was introduced by Senator Ada to reform Guam's "may issue" concealed carry law into a "shall issue" law consistent with the law of 41 of the 50 States.    From kuam.com:

The bill's author Senator Tony Ada says the measure will ensure residents feel safe. "We wanted to put the law on the side of the law abiding citizens already the perpetrators are concealing the weapons, the thieves and crooks are out to do what they want to do so now we want to put the law into the people's hands so if they need to defend their families or themselves, they have the ability to do that, and with the castle doctrine without getting prosecuted," he said.

While not mentioned, it is likely that the Ninth Circuit decision in the Peruta case will be used as an argument in support of Bill 296.   In the decision, the Ninth Circuit struck down the requirement on the part California Sheriff's to require "good cause" in order to obtain a concealed carry permit.   Guam falls under the Ninth Circuit.  From Kuam.com:

Ada says the provisions in Bill 296 are more in line with our constitutional right to keep and bear arms than what current statute allows.

The bill follows passage of a "Castle Doctrine " law for Guam on 3 February of this year (2014), by a vote of 10 to 5.  The law was signed by Governor Calvo on 10 February.  Guam's Castle Doctrine law includes protections against lawsuit and covers occupied vehicles as well as homes and businesses.

Prospects for Bill 296 appear to be positive, as some of the people who voted against the castle doctrine bill are cosponsors of Bill 296.


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