Oklahoma Governor Has Opportunity to Expand Right to Carry

With things like Constitutional Carry, anti-red-flag measures, and laws barring the use of merchant category codes for gun store purchases already in place, Oklahoma’s strong support for the right to keep and bear arms is evident. But Gov. Kevin Stitt has the chance to make at least one additional improvement this year after lawmakers sent the ““Municipal Carry Act” to his desk for his signature. 

HB 1095 would allow municipalities and state agencies to opt-in and allow lawful concealed carry city-owned or leased buildings and offices. The bill doesn’t mandate those places be open to concealed carry holders, which is a shame, but it’s at least a step in the right direction; or at least it is from the perspective of those of use who understand the fundamental importance of our Second Amendment rights. 

Senate Democrats expressed concerns that the bill could extend concealed carry rights to individuals without sufficient training.

“House Bill 1095 moves us in the wrong direction,” said Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City. “This bill opens the door to more firearms in courthouses, government buildings, zoos and parks where children learn and play. It extends the right to concealed carry for individuals who are not law enforcement officers.”

A similar law passed in 2017 allowed county employees to carry concealed firearms. Supporters of the new measure say it gives cities the same rights already extended to counties.

“It is the ultimate local control to give these municipalities the ability to defend themselves and to uphold the U.S. Constitution,” said Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant.

Personally, I’d be more enthused if HB 1095 simply mandated that these facilities be open to lawful carry, especially since many of these locations aren’t really “sensitive” in terms of providing additional security measures; whether magnetometers or on-duty police officers. And while Bullard says the Municipal Carry Act is all about local control, why should residents of, say, Broken Arrow or Owasso be able to carry in City Hall while someone who lives in Tulsa is forbidden from doing so? Lawmakers could have simply declared that the vast majority of municipal buildings are open to lawful carry, and by giving localities the ability to maintain a “gun-free” status quo it’s going to be a challenge to get some of the state’s more populous cities and towns to buy in. 

While the bill could be better, the critique by Hicks and other Democrats is without merit. Contrary to her claims, courthouses are specifically exempt from the legislation, though there is an exception made for municipal judges. As things stand, county judges can already exercise their right to carry on the job, so HB 1095 just extends that protection to judges who oversee municipal courtrooms as well. 

As for zoos and parks where children learn and play, I would have loved to be able to legally carry a firearm with me when I took my kids to Will Rogers Park or the Oklahoma City Zoo when I lived in the Sooner State. Criminals don’t care about violating a “gun-free” policy, so why should parents be unable to exercise their Second Amendment rights when it comes to protecting their children in those locations? It’s also safer for everyone if a concealed carry holder can keep their gun on them instead of having to leave it behind in their vehicle where it could be stolen. 

Despite its flaws, HB 1095 is an improvement over existing law, and it should be signed by Gov. Stitt. I’d love to see him use his signing statement and as an opportunity to challenge legislators to go even further, however, and return to the issue next session with a goal of removing the authority of localities to prohibit concealed carry on most government-owned property.