HCS/HB 1891 - This act revises laws regarding concealable firearms. A person commits unlawful use of a weapon by carrying a concealed firearm without a permit. The permit may be issued by another state or a subdivision of another state. Peace officers are exempted from certain criminal provisions, whether they are within or outside of their jurisdiction or on or off duty. The prohibitions against discharging a firearm into a dwelling house or within 100 yards of a school, courthouse or church, or exhibiting a weapon in an angry manner, do not apply to persons acting in self-defense.

The permit to acquire a concealable weapon shall be issued by the sheriff in which the applicant resides, if the applicant: (1) is at least 21 years of age, a citizen of the United States and a resident of this state for at least six months; (2) has not pled guilty to or been convicted of certain crimes, and has not been formally adjudicated in the juvenile division of the circuit court for any offense which would have been considered a dangerous felony if tried as an adult, or murder in the first degree, if a concealable firearm was used in the commission of the offense; (3) is not publicly known to be habitually in an intoxicated condition or a controlled substance abuser; and (4) is not ineligible to possess a firearm under federal law.

A permit to carry a concealed weapon shall be issued by the sheriff if the applicant meets the same requirements as above, and also has not exhibited violent behavior toward another person in the past five years, or offered credible threats of violence against another person; and has taken at least twelve hours of a firearms training course approved by the department of public safety. The sheriff shall conduct a criminal background check with highway patrol. A permit period shall be for three years. A permit fee shall be $80, and a renewal fee shall be $35. Sheriff shall keep a record of all applicants, shall report issuance of permits to MULES. Anyone denied a permit shall receive written reasons for the denial, and may appeal the denial within thirty days. Anyone may post clearly visible sign prohibiting concealed weapons on their property, and a violation of the prohibition shall be a trespass, the third such violation within a five year period shall be a Class C misdemeanor, the violator's permit shall be revoked, and the person shall not be eligible to reapply for three years.

A referendum is set for August, 1999, with specified ballot language.
JOAN GUMMELS