Tuesday, May 17, 2016

AL: Free Carry Permits for Retired Military Veterans


In Alabama, Governor Robert Bentley signed HB98, which provides for retired veterans who qualify, to obtain free pistol permits.  The bill was popular with the legislature, passing nearly unanimously. HB98 passed the House 93 to 4 with 3 abstentions. It passed the Senate 30 to 2 with no abstentions on 3 May, 2016, and was signed into law by Governor Bently on 13 May, 2016.

The bill applies to retired military veterans who are non-disability retirees from the Army, Navy, Coast Guard or Marines, or any reserve component thereof. From the HB98(pdf):
24  (b) Any retired military veteran who meets the
25  conditions for issuance of a pistol permit pursuant to Section      1    13A-11-75, Code of Alabama 1975, shall be eligible to obtain
2   the pistol permit without paying a fee for the permit. Upon
3   approval of the pistol permit application, the pistol permit
4   shall be issued by the sheriff of the county in which the
5   veteran resides upon presentation by the retired military
6   veteran of the United States government issued Veteran
7   Identification Card or a DD-214 Proof of Military Service form
8   and sufficient proof that the person is a military retiree.
9   The retired military veteran shall apply for renewal as
10 required by law, but shall be eligible to obtain renewed
11 pistol permits without paying a fee as long as he or she meets
12 the conditions for renewal of the permit.
A number of states make special provisions for verterans, allowing their military service to be sufficient proof of training to obtain a carry permit.  Alabama does not issue permits to non-residents, so the free permits are only available to military retirees who maintain a residence in Alabama.


©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Link to Gun Watch

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does anyone see how ridiculous this is. we never had to have a permit on the battle field why would any veteran need one now at home? also note it only applies to non disabled veterans. what percentage of the population would that be? they continue to pass so many unnecessary laws wasting the legislatures time and effort that could be used to pass good laws and reforms. This sort of legislation would be totally unnecessary if the second amendment were simply observed as written. the second amendment is a right the veterans guaranteed by their service for everyone. Notice this legislation only applies to non disabled, the ones that actually paid a higher price than the others. What good is DD-214 What good is a DD-214 when VA hearing officers can not read them. My 75% disability claim was denied because the hearing officer determined that I filed a fraudulent claim. He claimed I never served in Germany because I served in Vietnam and could not have pulled a three year tour in Germany when I was only in the service for three years. The DD-214 clearly states I served in Germany for 8.5 months TDY. VA denied I have recurring Malaria and said if I had it I must have acquired it some where other than Vietnam. the Fact that my elbow was cut off and put back on in Vietnam is not service connected. A civilian specialist wrote a letter stating my shoulder and back condition is directly related to the Recurring Malaria that VA says I never had. the hearing officer refused to accept the diagnosis of the civilian specialist. All of my Teeth were destroyed in Vietnam and my hearing was severely damaged by four hours of cannon fire. My service connected disability rating is at ZERO. I filed to reopen my claim in December of 2014, I'm still waiting on a traveling board hearing. the last time I filed it only took 12.5 years to get denied. ten years. and ten years before that attempt before that attempt. In the last denial the hearing officer admitted he is the person that has been denying my claim for more than 30 years because I never served in Germany. This time I told them to file criminal charges for filing a false claim or pay up. And I was drafted legally blind in my left eye from a birth defect. My first malaria attack was two weeks after I returned from Vietnam. I was still on leave. The hearing officer claims all of the other reports were lost. Filling out a DD-139 form has been an absolute waste of time. request for records collection. such as the original diagnosis from Nellis Air Force base that states recurring malaria. Verification from a civilian eye specialist for my eye condition. Reports from three military doctors for my elbow surgeries. Results of VA audiology studies. I had to retire and file for total disability for social security in the year 2000. But according to the VA I have nothing service connected because I never served in Germany. Just because a VA hearing office can not read a DD-214.

ScienceABC123 said...

If it requires a permit or someone else's permission in order to exercise a 'right' then it's not a right. All gun control laws are therefore un-Constitutional.

PO'd in 'Bama said...

Congrats for the vets and CCW.

I was a productive member of Alabama, too. Now, I am retired, disabled, and on a fixed-income. Why do _I_ have to pay full price, while other citizens get a free ride?

This is ONLY a way for 'Get Bent With Bentley' to help his approval rating, and draw attention away from his 'Mason Jar' scandal.

All Alabama citizens should carry concealed, WITHOUT a permit, if this inequality is allowed to stand!

Anonymous said...

If 41 of the 46 members of my platoon had not come back in boxes I would be making some contacts to see if they can still shoot. it looks to me like the veterans are the only ones with the training and experience and the patriotism left to correct some of these problems. we had better get organized very soon. It is my understanding that any law is not a law if it is selective in its enforcement. Does anyone remember in our founding documents that we are all created Equal? For myself I have been preparing to form and supply a fire team. I have the back packs, food, medical supplies, Ammo and arms, Tents sleeping bags and other weapons. I even have a solar shower and sand bags we all like to fill so much. I could always use more weapons and ammo and food. What I have managed to put together is not all that impressive but it might just shock a few. I do believe we are in the end of times according to Revelation in the Bible. U-Tube has some very interesting videos on the end of times prophesies. everything that is happening fits like a glove. I only have 8 radios. And I need three more rifles to put scopes on. wouldn't hurt to have some body armor. It wouldn't hurt to be 20 years younger but patriotism is not allocated by age.

David said...

The way I read the law is that it only applies to veterans who are military retirees and on retired pay, and not veterans in general who happen to be currently retired.

Backwoods Engineer said...

Dean,

You inadvertently left out the Air Force in the list of forces covered, which is also explicitly called out in the bill.

Anonymous said...

In Calhoun County, Alabama the military "Free" permit (if qualified) is only valid for 1 year at a time. If I was to pay for a permit I have an option to purchase a 5 year permit. With the FREE military permit, I can only get the permit for 1 year (5 year not allowed)at this time. Its not like I can unretired from the Military which is why I got the card in the first place (DD Form 214). Plus the cost to reprint the same license (it does cost someone time/salary, cost of the card, ink to print the card and electricity) yearly. The cost to print the initial card cost the same regardless if it a 5 year permit as it does for a 1 year permit. Not sure why we cant get a 5 year permit under this law??? Just my two cents....