Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Without any debate, the state House has given preliminary approval to a bill that would allow people who hold concealed carry permits to take guns into most public places, including schools.
House Bill 114 passed the first of three votes on the floor of the House on Thursday. It needs to be approved two more times before it moves to the state Senate for further debate.
The bill would allow people with concealed carry permits to take their guns to any public facility or gathering. The bill preserves the ban on weapons in courtrooms and allows private businesses and property owners to prohibit guns.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Allen Jaggi, R-Lyman, was the only House member to speak on the proposal. "I just really have a passion for this that I think this is the safe thing to do," Jaggi said.
The voice vote without debate belied the two hours of pro-and-con testimony the bill received the day before, when it was discussed by the House Judiciary Committee.
Supporters had said the bill would improve public safety by discouraging or thwarting armed attackers and uphold basic constitutional rights.
Opponents, who included officials from the University of Wyoming, countered that schools and public places should be free of guns and that accidents with guns would be more of a problem than potential attackers.
Jaggi noted that a person must be 21 years old and pass background checks in order to receive a concealed carry permit.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
