Left Behind: States Without Constitutional Carry

The Rise of Constitutional Carry

Constitutional Carry swept across the United States in the last decade. 

As of 2024, over half the states have embraced this growing movement, while others cling to outdated, restrictive policies that undermine the Second Amendment. 

However, as more and more Americans see their rights restored, citizens in some states are being left behind.

The Success of Constitutional Carry States

Constitutional Carry, also known as permitless carry, allows eligible citizens to carry concealed firearms without obtaining a government-issued permit. In states like Texas, South Dakota, and Missouri, residents no longer need to navigate the bureaucratic maze of permits, fees, and background checks to exercise their Second Amendment rights. This change empowers citizens by eliminating hurdles to self-defense while recognizing that criminals are not deterred by permitting systems.

As of 2024, 28 states have adopted Constitutional Carry laws recognizing that law-abiding citizens should not have to seek government permission to protect themselves and their families.

See Also: Liberty Coalition Reps Speak at 15th Annual Second Amendment March

Many States are Falling Behind

Unfortunately, not all states are on board with the movement to restore the Second Amendment. Liberal bastions such as California, New York, and New Jersey cling to stringent gun control laws that disproportionately affect law-abiding citizens. In these states, permits are not just encouraged — they are required to carry a firearm. This arduous process often includes expensive fees, extended wait times, and invasive background checks. It even creates situations where only the wealthy and well-connected can afford to carry legally, while everyday citizens are left defenseless.

Criminals, of course, do not follow these laws. The unfortunate truth is that restrictive gun laws only harm the law-abiding. The average citizen in New York or California is at a severe disadvantage compared to a criminal who obtains firearms illegally. As these states stubbornly resist Constitutional Carry, they deny their residents the means to defend themselves, leaving them at the mercy of those who would do them harm.

Even states that have passed Constitutional Carry laws are not perfect. Many laws include limitations such as restricting the carry age to 21 and older rather than recognizing the right to carry for all adults.

For instance, while Florida is often heralded as a gun-friendly state, it falls short of true Constitutional Carry. Florida does allow concealed carry without a permit for those who are at least 21, but it continues to restrict open carry, placing the state in the same category as New York and California on this particular issue. This restriction is a critical oversight. True Constitutional Carry should not differentiate between how a citizen chooses to carry, whether openly or concealed. The right to bear arms must include the freedom to choose how one carries without arbitrary restrictions imposed by the state.

That is why American Action Fund consistently advocates for uncompromising Constitutional Carry laws and has worked with our Liberty Coalition of lawmakers to pass these laws in Louisiana, South Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas, Utah, and Kentucky. American Action Fund has also worked to mobilize the pro-gun grassroots in more than a dozen other states to pass strong Constitutional Carry laws. However, there is more work to be done.

See Also: The Solution to Violence: Make Illegal Devices MORE Illegal?

The Future of Constitutional Carry

The rapid expansion of Constitutional Carry is a testament to the growing realization that government-imposed barriers to self-defense are not only unnecessary but harmful. States that refuse to adopt these laws are leaving their citizens behind, both in terms of freedom and safety. For the states that still cling to outdated permitting systems, it’s time to recognize that criminals will not obey these laws, and only the law-abiding are penalized.

Which is exactly why Congressman Thomas Massie introduced H.R. 9534, The National Constitutional Carry Act. The inalienable right to bear arms should not come down to whether someone lives in a state that chooses to recognize the Second Amendment or blatantly disregard it, and it will take a massive groundswell of support from pro-gun Americans to move this bill in a do-nothing Congress.

The Second Amendment is clear: “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” States that refuse to embrace permitless carry are infringing on this right and leaving their citizens defenseless against criminals who have no regard for the law. It’s time for all states to embrace true Constitutional Carry and restore the right of every American to defend themselves, without government interference.

States and Their Constitutional Carry Status