Crossing State Lines With A Firearm

 

The Daily Caller went to the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) gun range in Fairfax, Virginia, and attended Live Fire Instruction’s pistol fundamentals course in May.

The summer of 2020 was embroiled in protests and riots after George Floyd’s death, prompting many Americans to purchase firearms for self-defense.

Gun purchases skyrocketed that year, and the majority of buyers were women, according to Harvard data.

“Over the past five years, a growing number of Americans became first-time gun owners, particularly women, motivated by the desire to protect themselves and their families,” Josh Savani, executive director of NRA General Operations, said in a statement to the Caller.

The majority of U.S. gun owners cited “protection” as the primary reason for having a firearm, according to a 2023 Pew Research study.

However, Americans can face legal troubles while concealed carrying, even with a government-issued permit.

Republicans in Congress are pushing for concealed carry reciprocity with the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.

The bill, introduced by Republican North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, would enable individuals to concealed carry across state lines. The legislation would allow an individual with a valid government permit to carry in another state, providing that state also recognizes concealed carry.

It was introduced in January 2025 and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

In Virginia, individuals must take a “competency class” to obtain a concealed carry license, according to Paris.

“Other states are way more demanding, and then you have other states that are nothing. So, Virginia is kind of in the middle of you have to do something, but it’s not extreme, right?” she told the Caller.

Virginia is a “shall-issue” state, and residents must file permit applications with their county circuit court, according to the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA). Residents need to complete a state-approved course.

New York requires applicants take a safety training course, present four character references, disclose who lives with them and be interviewed by a licensing officer.

West Virginia, a constitutional carry state, has no permit requirement.

Hudson’s legislation would ensure that law-abiding Americans can exercise their constitutional rights in states that allow concealed carry, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) John Commerford told the Caller.

“If you freely travel … today, you will go through states that don’t require a permit,” he said. “You’ll go through states that require a permit but have reciprocity with your current state permit. And then you’ll cross the state line, and you’ll automatically become a felon for conduct that was lawful a mile behind you, but now you cross into New Jersey or New York or Massachusetts, and your right to self-defense went out the window.”

Lloyd Muldrow, a Marine Corps veteran, had a concealed carry permit in Virginia. Muldrow claimed he “disarmed a man who was threatening people” in a pub in Baltimore, Maryland. He was arrested because his permit was not considered valid in Maryland.

Muldrow is not the only person to have fallen prey to concealed carry regulations, either.

Commerford pointed to the case of Shaneen Allen. She was pulled over in New Jersey and later arrested for carrying a handgun with a Pennsylvania concealed carry permit, NBC 10 reported in 2017.

She could have faced years in prison, but Allen was ultimately pardoned by then-Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

“[The] Second Amendment doesn’t discriminate on zip code,” Commerford emphasized.

There are various ways for new gun owners to learn the fundamentals of firearms so they can acquire a concealed carry license if their state of residency requires one.

Paris said the two most signifcant takeaways for participants in her class are safety and enjoyment.

“Probably the biggest thing from this particular class is safety. You’re not hurting yourself, and you’re not hurting anybody else,” she said. “And then enjoy the sport. Once you love the sport, you’ll come to the gun range and shoot for fun. And then you’ll also be a responsible gun owner, because you’re practicing the sport.”

“As the nation’s leader in firearms safety and training, the NRA/USCCA is a trusted resource for new gun owners from all walks of life who are seeking top-tier instruction and education,” Savani said in a statement to the Caller.

“With a nationwide network of over 100,000 certified instructors, NRA/USCCA courses equip gun owners with the skills and confidence to safely handle, store, and maintain their firearms. We’re especially proud to offer programs tailored specifically for women, including our Women on Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics, as well as specialized self-defense and concealed carry training,” he continued. “The USCCA is committed to empowering all law-abiding Americans to exercise their Second Amendment freedoms and the right to self-defense.”

Hudson’s bill is not the only legislation making its way through Congress that could dramatically impact gun rights.

The House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in May, including Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act. That provision would remove suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

If the legislation is implemented, it would “be the biggest win for gun owners in my generation,” Commerford told the Caller.

The NFA mandates that suppressors (otherwise known as “silencers”) be registered with the federal government, according to the NRA. The Hearing Protection Act would also remove the $200 tax, and buyers would be subject to a background check instead of an “onerous federal transfer process,” according to the NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum.

The NFA falls under the Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Trump admin is taking steps to make the agency less hostile to gun owners.

The ATF updated its national policy on federal firearm licensee inspections in May, replacing the Biden administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy.

The ATF previously announced that the bureau, along with the DOJ, will be reviewing two other Biden-era firearms policies.