Editorial: CCW reciprocity a no-brainer

Law-abiding gun owners know about fellow gun owners who crossed state lines and unwittingly became criminals for breaking a law they didn’t know existed. A North Carolina resident was arrested for having his firearm while driving to New Jersey to help with Hurricane Sandy. A single mom from Pennsylvania spent years fighting to stay out of prison after driving with her firearm into another state. A man from Tennessee was arrested in Delaware after he was stopped for speeding. The stories are countless.

None of these people purposefully did anything wrong. They simply took to the road, were stopped for a traffic violation, and informed the officer they were carrying.

These are cautionary tales to all of us who practice safe and responsible gun ownership — and who carry concealed. All gun owners live in fear of breaking laws they didn’t know existed, and it’s got to stop. These arrests and prosecutions are a waste of everybody’s time, money and energy.

Congress is finally attempting to do something about it. The National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would ensure that people who can legally carry concealed firearms in their home state also will be able to legally carry in other states. Law enforcement officers should use their time and resources working to keep our streets safe from violence. They should not target law-abiding citizens who simply cross state lines.

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Ohioans must let these representatives know how important this bill is. My hope is that every law-abiding gun owner will get involved and contact their representatives.

Click here to read the entire guest editorial at the Columbus Dispatch.