Simply put — The House passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act which will allow conceal carry permits holders to conceal carry in other states.
The bill is tied into another legislation which will tighten background checks reported from Federal agencies.
The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act passed 231-198.
From Congress.gov:
Introduced in House (01/03/2017)
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017
This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms.
A qualified individual must: (1) be eligible to possess, transport, or receive a firearm under federal law; (2) carry a valid photo identification document; and (3) carry a valid concealed carry permit issued by, or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in, his or her state of residence.
Additionally, the bill specifies that a qualified individual who lawfully carries or possesses a concealed handgun in another state: (1) is not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone, and (2) may carry or possess the concealed handgun in federally owned lands that are open to the public.
As reported by Kerry Picket for The Daily Caller:
“An overwhelming majority of Americans support concealed carry reciprocity. Momentum, common sense, and the facts are on our side,” North Carolina Republican Rep. Richard Hudson said of his bill prior the vote in a statement.
The bill faces tougher odds of passing in the Senate, where it will require 60 votes to get through a procedural debate motion before a final simple majority vote.
Democrats slammed the bill, saying it was unfair to states with stricter gun laws to cede to states with looser gun laws.
Ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler said in a statement, “The obvious solution to the varying state laws is to continue to do what is currently done by many states, which is to choose which other state permits they will recognize. Some states, including my state of New York, have chosen not to recognize permits issued by any other state. Most states, however, have chosen to recognize permits from at least some other states — basing the choice on the strength of the standards employed by the other states. We should not disregard these determinations, which is what this bill would do.”
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn has authored the Senate version and has previously told reporters he did not feel comfortable with combining the Fix NIC’s background check legislation with the concealed carry bill, saying it could torpedo the background check bill altogether.