This is Why National Reciprocity is Needed

Thanks to reciprocity and constitutional carry laws, a concealed carry permit holder from Georgia is recognized to some degree or another in 32 states, at least if the permit holder is 21 or older. However, there are a handful of states that almost no one can carry in unless they live there, and the only reason most residents can carry is because of the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision.

But national reciprocity is likely to be a topic this year in Congress. President Donald Trump has already said he supports it and GOP leadership seems supportive as well.

There are still roadblocks to be navigated, but there’s a decent chance it will happen.

And there’s a reason it’s needed.

 With the U.S. Congress in Republican control and the new Trump administration in power, the possibility of a national concealed carry reciprocity law is increasing. Some are speculating how that will impact Illinois.

Every state in the nation has some sort of concealed carry law. The requirements vary state by state. Some allow concealed carry without a permit. Other states like Illinois require a permit. Illinois was the last state in the nation to implement a law allowing carrying concealed firearms outside the home in 2013.

U.S. Lawshield’s Kirk Evans said national concealed carry reciprocity would be similar to how states recognize driver’s licenses from other states.

“But the general concept is if you’ve got a concealed carry permit in, say, Virginia, then Illinois is going to be required to recognize that permit,” Evans told The Center Square.

In 2018, gun control advocates Everytown posted on Twitter, now X, that “’Concealed Carry Reciprocity’ would force every state to accept other states’ concealed carry standards, even states that have weaker standards, or, worse, no standards at all,” and “would undermine the standards that states have set for who can carry hidden, loaded guns in public.”

With Illinois’ firearms regulations among the most strict in the nation, Evans expects some to be “kicking and screaming” from gun control groups in Illinois if national reciprocity is enacted.

“The better news for Illinois is while you have to recognize that permit, you can still regulate the how, where and why of carrying,” Evans said.

Of course, the same will be said in states like New York, Hawaii, and California, which don’t recognize pretty much anyone’s permit as things currently stand.

Personally, I’d rather see national constitutional carry passed, but I also don’t think that’s likely to happen, so this is probably as good as we can get, and frankly, it should have already happened.

As it stands, I can use my Georgia driver’s license in any state in the nation. It’s recognized as valid regardless of any other factors, and driving isn’t a constitutionally protected right. 

So why aren’t carry permits already recognized?

Well, the truth is that they’re not and it’s likely to take an act of Congress to make it happen. This is our best chance to pass it in quite some time–since Trump’s first term, as a matter of fact–and my hope is that GOP leadership doesn’t squander the opportunity like they did 8 years ago.