Another win for the right to carry a gun. Maine becomes 5th state to allow concealed carry without a permit.

By Rob Janicki
The tide seems to be turning against the liberal gun control advocates, as more states are loosening their requirements for citizens to legally carry concealed weapons.

Gov. Paul LePage signed a historic bill Wednesday that will allow residents to carry concealed firearms without a permit, making Maine the fifth US state to explicitly vote to do so.

The law will be restricted to those aged 21 and over, except for military personnel at least 18 years old. Maine’s concealed-carry permit system will remain for now, but residents can opt out until the law goes into effect sometime after lawmakers adjourn later this month. Under the state’s current system, residents have to pay a fee, pass a background check, and demonstrate knowledge of handgun safety.

As a personal aside, I support less restrictive gun laws to legally carry a concealed weapon.  I am opposed to "open carry" since it both tends to intimidate those people who are not inclined to own or carry firearms and, it can easily provide a challenge to the criminally inclined who might want to create mischief and mayhem.  Better to not let criminals know who is carrying.  If they see someone carrying, they might be just as inclined to take that person out as a threat to them, then simply walk away.  

Maine joins several other states in eliminating permits for concealed carry, including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Vermont, and Wyoming. Additionally, concealed carry is permitted in Idaho and Montana outside of city limits.

To be fair in this writing, Maine did have a number of groups opposing the less restrictive concealed carry law signed into law by Governor LaPage, including the Maine Chiefs of Police Association and the Maine Sheriff's Association. 

What is not revealed as of yet, are the possible penalties for carrying a concealed weapon and using it in an illegal manner, such as "brandishing" and similar such actions that could cause others to react with the use of deadly force.  The new law, to be effective and maintain safety, should clearly state the liabilities of carrying a concealed weapon so that those who do carry understand their various liabilities that could possibly ensue from carrying a firearm.