UT DPS urges UT lawmakers... no more non-resident permits.

[Quiet]

Deseret News | Gun permits shoot up

Gun permits shoot up
Reject applications from out of state, some say

As the number of concealed weapons permits issued by Utah continues to climb, public safety officials told lawmakers Wednesday it might be time to stop accepting applications from out-of-state.
By the end of the year, Utah is projected to have issued more than 40,000 concealed weapons permits — nearly a 150 percent increase over 2007 and more than a 250 percent boost from 2006.

Slightly more than half of the permit applications received since the beginning of the budget year on July 1, 2007, have gone to Utahns. But since 1994, about two-thirds of the applications have come from out-of-state.

"This program has been growing by leaps and bounds," Lt. Doug Anderson, who runs the concealed weapons permit program for the Utah Department of Public Safety, told members of the Legislature's Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee.

The increase in applications has boosted revenues from the program to about $1 million annually, up from a projected $600,000 or so. That's enabled the department to cut the time it takes to process an application from three months to just one, Anderson said.

But committee member Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, was more interested in why the state was issuing concealed weapons permits to non-Utahns rather than simply relying on existing reciprocity agreements with other states.

Those agreements allow concealed weapons permits to be treated like a drivers license. For example, someone with a Utah driver's license may legally drive in other states just as someone with a license issued by another state may legally drive in Utah.
Public safety officials said the long-standing practice of issuing permits to non-Utahns has left them with problems, including policing out-of-state instructors teaching a required course to obtain the Utah permit. Some 70 percent of the Utah-certified instructors don't live here.

"We would welcome some clarification," Public Safety Commissioner Scott Duncan told the committee, reminding them the state has already stopped issue permits to non-U.S. residents last year for similar reasons.

He said any benefit to the state from issuing permits to non-Utahns "would be hard to know" when asked by another committee member, Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake, to come up with pluses of the program.

Later, Duncan said he's recommending the state stop issuing the permits to non-Utahns but the decision is up to lawmakers. "We'll do it any way they want us to do it," he said, adding, "I think we need to look out for our state first."

One of the strongest gun-rights advocates in the Legislature, Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield, who also sits on the committee, said the question he would ask about issuing concealed weapons permits to non-Utahns is simply, "Why not?"

Oda said after the meeting that he would oppose eliminating out-of-state permits.

"An American is an American," he said. "I don't care if he's a New York American or a Utah American, as citizens we have rights."

[NDS]

Oda said after the meeting that he would oppose eliminating out-of-state permits.

"An American is an American," he said. "I don't care if he's a New York American or a Utah American, as citizens we have rights."

A POLITICIAN said that? I am stunned.


Why doesn't a major political party choose Oda for President? I'd vote for him based on that statement alone.

[calmp9]

Originally Posted by NDS

A POLITICIAN said that? I am stunned.


Why doesn't a major political party choose Oda for President? I'd vote for him based on that statement alone.

I wish there were more politicians like that here in Kalifornia.

The DPS is missing the point regarding nonresident CCWs. A large percentage of nonresident permit holders probably won't even set foot in Utah. I would think that most get it because of the recognition and reciprocity by other states. Therefore, the state of Utah benefits even more.

[tattedupboy]

"An American is an American."

Why don't legislators in every state think this way? This is exactly what legislators should bear in mind when they make laws; how the law will benefit the greatest number of Americans, not just residents from their state or legislative district. I don't know much about this guy's record, but on the basis of that statement alone, I like him.

[calmp9]

Originally Posted by tattedupboy

"An American is an American."

Why don't legislators in every state think this way? This is exactly what legislators should bear in mind when they make laws; how the law will benefit the greatest number of Americans, not just residents from their state or legislative district. I don't know much about this guy's record, but on the basis of that statement alone, I like him.

The State of Utah can turn the nonresident CCW into a money making machine. They're only charging $65.25 now. Even if they make it $117 like Florida, I wouldn't have a problem with it. It's in line with what the other states are charging. Let's face it. I have a Utah permit and I will probably never set foot in Utah. I got it because of the reciprocity with Washington State, which I plan to visit soon. Utah BCI can increase the fee. People will still apply for it either way. I believe that the State of Utah has ever right to make some bones on this program. Hopefully, they can generate some good revenue, while being able to hire additional personnel to help out. The politicians were concerned about not being able to monitor the out of state instructors. If they increase the CCW application fee, they can do it. I know that there are people out there who will disagree with me, but it's one way of keeping the current Utah CCW program alive.

[ProtectedBy9mm]

Thats sure is too bad for those American aged 18-21 if this happens, eh? Their rights just gets infringed then?