Concealed-carry crosses state lines

LINCOLN — Folks from Iowa, Kansas, Colorado and at least 31 other states are welcome to bring their concealed handguns into the Cornhusker State. But those from South Dakota and 11 other states are not.

That's the word from the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, which was required by a new state law to determine which states have comparable concealed handgun permit laws to Nebraska's. That determines which states' residents could legally carry concealed handguns in Nebraska, as well as their home state.

The review found that 34 states have standards equal to or greater than Nebraska's.

People who have obtained concealed weapons permits in those states have reciprocal rights here and can legally carry concealed weapons in Nebraska, said Leah Bucco-White of the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.

The review, however, found a dozen states, including neighboring South Dakota, where the standards are less stringent than Nebraska's. Permits from those states will not be honored here.

A 13th state, Vermont, allows concealed carry but does not issue permits. So Vermont residents and permit holders from the dozen other states won't be allowed to carry hidden handguns here, said Chief Deputy Attorney General David Cookson.

Bucco-White said the list does not pertain to Nebraskans who obtained concealed weapons permits here. If they are traveling to another state, they should determine whether that state will recognize a Nebraska permit.

However, Ron Jensen, a Lincoln-based lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, said now that Nebraska has declared which state permits it will recognize, the door should be open for other states to determine whether they will recognize a Nebraska concealed weapon permit.

Only two states, Wisconsin and Illinois, don't issue permits to carry concealed handguns.

Contact the writer:

402-473-9584, paul.hammel@owh.com

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