Maine for Constitutional Carry?

Maine may be gearing up to pass constitutional carry.  A young state Senator Eric Brakey, has introduced a bill to restore the ability to carry concealed weapons without a permit.  He has gathered 96 sponsors for the bill, which is short and easy to understand.  From wmtv.com:

Under the present law, it is illegal for gun owners to wear a jacket over their weapon unless they have a special permit. 

Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn has submitted a bill that he said he would restore Second Amendment rights.

The bill has bipartisan support in the state legislator, with 96 sponsors.

Here is the complete Text of LD 652:

An Act To Authorize the Carrying of Concealed Handguns without a Permit

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §11212, sub-§1, ¶B,  as amended by PL 2005, c. 477, §9, is further amended to read:

B. A person may not, while in or on a motor vehicle or in or on a trailer or other type of vehicle being hauled by a motor vehicle, have a cocked and armed crossbow or a firearm with a cartridge or shell in the chamber or in an attached magazine, clip or cylinder or a muzzle-loading firearm charged with powder, lead and a primed ignition device or mechanism, except that a person who has a valid Maine permit to carry a concealed weapon is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm may have in or on a motor vehicle or trailer or other type of vehicle a loaded pistol or revolver covered by that permit.

Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2001-A, sub-§2, ¶A-1  is enacted to read:

A-1.  A handgun carried by a person who is not otherwise prohibited from carrying a firearm;

Summary

This bill authorizes a person who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. This bill also authorizes a person to possess a loaded pistol or revolver while in a motor vehicle or a trailer or other vehicle being hauled by a motor vehicle.

Senator Brakey has gathered an impressive number of sponsors.  The makeup of the Maine legislature is as follows;

From ballotpedia: Maine Senate, 15 Democrats, 20 Republicans

From ballotpedia: Maine House,  80 Democrats, 69 Republicans, and 2 Independents.

Sponsors: 15 Senators, 2 are Democrats;   81 Representatives, 6 are identified as Democrats

Here is a YouTube video of Governor LePage talking about second amendment rights.  He is very supportive.

Link to video of Paul LePage on guns:

During his 2010 campaign, he ran on this issue.  From ontheissues.org:

Paul supports the 2nd amendment--no exceptions. While Paul is Governor, he will:

• Protect Mainers' Gun Rights. Paul will veto any legislation that restricts Mainers' constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms.

The stumbling block could be the Maine House.  It is controlled by Democrats, and if the Democrat leadership does not want to hear a bill, it is likely that it will not be heard, even if a majority of he legislators have sponsored it.   It remains to be seen what the Democrat leadership in the Maine House of representatives will do on this issue.

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch