UPDATE: The House was initially going to discuss this next Monday but decided to hear the measure. It has passed on a 5-4 vote.
On Monday, February 15th, Arizona House panel will be debating a bill sponsored by Rep. Steve Montenegro of Litchfield Park that would create the first of its kind, dollar for dollar tax credit up to $80 for people who get their concealed carry permits. The bill’s purpose is to promote public safety.
Arizona currently has more than 250,000 concealed carry permits holders as of January 2016.
We’ll be following up on the outcome of this bill and report back once we have more info.
What are your thoughts of getting tax credit for obtaining a concealed carry permit in your state? Sound off in the comments below.
If I weren’t opposed to tax credits in general, I’d like this one. I would prefer other incentives like free training and vetting. Those who are exceptionally qualified should get exceptional incentives to get a CCL There are so many onerous rules for CCL holders that incentives seem like a good idea. But how about removing some of the onerous rules. Why should states enforce the no-gun policy of building managers who post those stupid onerous signs as some states do. And why not remove the ban on guns carried into government buildings where little or no security is present to detect them?
Does it make sense to keep the good guns out when you make no effort to keep the bad guns out?
People who go through the training, vetting and expense of getting a Concealed Carry License are low cost militia. They are on the front line against terrorists and crazies. They are also the low hanging fruit in the fight. Most of the “gun-free” zones set themselves up as a target and make their patrons less safe. These are places with a sign on the door banning guns. They are also places where legislators make sweeping laws making it difficult for the well-regulated militia to function. Can you imagine treating the soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy to the same standards of the CCL carriers today? Soft targets are today’s Normandy and we need to get used to that. Until then, we will be conflicted about being humanitarian in handling refugees from war zones.
But, if you want to promote concealed carry, as with other desirable things, providing tax credit is one of the better ways. And, it can be argued that the reduction of crime where concealed carry is encouraged, overall, the cost to society is lowered to a greater extent than the $80 credit to those who carry. Everyone is safer and the cost due to crime is lowered to all when criminal acts are dissuaded out of fear of the unknown armed citizen..
I agree unless we can bag the entire IRS code to get to a very short form. I prefer other incentives but would vote for this incentive at this point.