Welcome to Westworld! The lead headline in the Bozeman Chronicle this morning is, “Bill Expanding Concealed Carry Endorsed.” The bill has yet to be signed by our new Republican Governor, Greg Gianforte, but in all probability, he will sign it. This bill would expand places where people can carry concealed weapons to include state and local offices, restaurants and other places that serve alcohol, and on college campuses! In addition, the bill would limit the ability of the Montana Board of Regents, which has responsibility for the state’s college campuses, to override the bill in anyway and restrict firearms on campus.
This bill passed through the Montana legislature along party lines, with the exception of one Republican. Republican State Senator, John Esp, from Big Timber (about 60 miles east of Bozeman) stated, “We have the right to keep and bear arms, [but] this bill goes to far. It doesn’t resonate with my common sense.” No shit! Mind you, we are not even talked permitted concealed carry where a permit is granted after at least a cursory background check. Once Governor Gianforte signs this bill, every Tom, Dick and Harry can walk into any sporting goods store in Montana, purchase a handgun, and proceed to pretty much carry it anywhere in the state.
And to add insult to injury, another one of our gun-loving legislators has offered up a bill to prohibit Montana law enforcement officials from enforcing any Federal firearm regulations! The genesis of this bill is a concern by some that the Biden administration could enact stricter gun control laws so they are putting forth this bill to try to circumvent that should it happen. The sponsor, a Republican member of the Montana House, Jedediah Hinkle, from Belgrade (about 10 miles west of Bozeman) states that his reason for putting forth this bill is, “the time has come now to fortify Montana’s gun owners against a likely attack on our constitutionally protected freedoms.”
“The bill would ban state employees from enforcing and implementing federal bans on firearms, magazines and ammunition, except in certain cases including those related to fully automatic firearms, violent felons and domestic violence.”1 The proponents of this bill are concerned the Biden administration could enact laws to regulate things such as AR-15 style rifles and high capacity magazines, implement universal background checks, and potential enact a federal ‘red flag’ law to designed to prevent people at risk from harming themselves or others. Referring back to Mr. Esp’s statement above, this just does not resonate with my common sense.
I’m not sure Mr. Hinkle and the other proponents of this bill have really thought this through to the end game. Perhaps they need a history lesson. Years ago, during the oil crisis in the 70’s, the Federal government implemented a nationwide speed limit of 55 mph. At the time, Montana’s speed limit was ‘reasonable and prudent’ which meant, in essence, you could drive as fast as you wanted – and people did. Montana refused to enact this speed limit mandated by the Federal government. The Federal government then simply threatened to pull Federal funds out of Montana. Voila! Montana decided to implement at least some version of a speed limit. I suspect the Federal government will react the same way if Montana decides to go through with this. Yet another waste of tax payer dollars while some elected official decides to push a personal ‘want’ as opposed to working on the state’s many ‘needs.’
The real irony is that the same state legislature who seems to want to push this law to ban state officials from enforcing any federal firearm regulations, is also pushing a bill to require state law enforcement officials to support all federal law enforcement efforts involving immigration efforts.
There are real problems facing Montana. Parts of the economy are heavily dependent upon the fossil fuel business, particularly coal, and that industry and the jobs that go with it, is dying. There is a severe housing shortage in several areas of the state. This state, like most others, has suffered economically as a result of the pandemic. Many areas of the state are facing problems due to a huge influx of people which is putting a strain on existing infrastructure. The large influx of people is creating more and more conflicts between developers and conservation efforts. These are all real problems and pushing laws to allow more people to carry concealed weapons virtually anywhere in the state does nothing to address these ‘big picture’ issues.
If you’re planning a vacation in Montana once things look a little less ‘COVID’ or thinking of sending your child to college at one of our universities, just keep in mind that wherever you go, which ever restaurant or bar you are sitting in, which ever farmers market you are attending, or what ever little shop you’re browsing in, when you look around you can pretty much be assured that some number of the people around you are carrying a concealed gun. Does that make you feel safer? I thought not. ‘The Last Best Place’ is becoming less so.
Probably the next law that will be proposed in Montana will be designation dueling locations. Requirements will be social distancing that means you must be at least six feet apart from your opponent. The litter laws will be enforced that you must pick up any spent casing and to wipe up any blood that was spilt. The noise abatement law will be enforced that you must be at least 100 yards from a residential area.