Amended gun law in effect
An amended state gun law, which becomes effective Thursday, will make it easier for an employee to keep a firearm locked in their motor vehicle while they are at work. It also permits the owner of an unlicensed handgun to transport it in a motor vehicle as long as it is locked in a safe place out of the reach of the driver.
State Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, who sponsored the legislation in the House of Representatives, explained that the law sprouted roots four to five year ago because of an incident involving drugs and handguns in Oklahoma.
“Illegal drugs were moving through a private parking lot,” Henry said. “Drug dogs were brought in. They found the narcotics as well as several handguns in the vehicles of employees of the parking lot owner. The employees were fired, but the decision was overturned later when he court ruled that their constitutional rights had been violated.”
He also cited the case of a hospital employee who feared for her safety while going to and from her job at a Birmingham hospital. She was not allowed to have a gun in her car because it was in violation of a hospital policy.
“Under the old law you would be in violation if you purchased an un-permitted firearm from another individual and put it in your car to carry it home,” said Hartselle Police Chief Ron Puckett. “That part of the law was changed to allow you to keep an un-licensed firearm in your car as long as it is unloaded and locked up out of the reach of the driver.”
Another change eliminated the need to have a handgun permitted once a year. It may not be permitted for up to five years. However, the gun owner will still be subject to yearly background checks.
“I feel comfortable with the law as it is now written,” Henry stated. “It ensures the gun owner of his or her constitutional rights and also protects the public’s safety.
The gun law will be the subject of a series of town hall type meetings conducted in Morgan County under the auspices of Sheriff Ana Franklin over the next three weeks.
Summary of gun law changes
•Allows concealed weapon permit holder to carry a loaded handgun in their vehicle. Without a permit, the pistol must be unloaded and locked in a compartment or container out of the reach of driver and passengers.
•Allows a concealed pistol on someone else’s property with a permit or permission.
•Makes it legal to carry a visible, holstered pistol in a public place.
•Allows a person to carry an unconcealed pistol on property not his own if he or she has permission from the property owner. The permission can be implied, so businesses must post notices to tell people directly they don’t want guns on their property.
•Allows an employee to bring a pistol to a work site and leave it in a vehicle. An employee cannot be terminated on the presence of a weapon in compliance with the law.
•Broadens the definition of “crimes of violence” and expands who may not own a handgun to include anyone who has committed a Class A felony and any Class B felony that “has an element of serious physical injury.”
Prohibits guns at sporting events inside stadiums or other places with limited entry and/or security.
•Allows concealed carry for those with permits at most other outdoor K-12 and postsecondary sporting events, but prohibits open-carry guns.
•Extends pistol permit from one year to a maximum of five years.
