According to the Police Chiefs Association:
•Mississippi currently prohibits some people convicted of certain violent misdemeanors from having concealed carry licenses. This bill would allow these people to carry concealed, loaded guns in public.
•Mississippi currently prohibits people who voluntarily committed themselves to mental institutions from having concealed carry licenses. This bill would allow these people to carry concealed, loaded guns in public.
•Mississippi currently prohibits people who chronically abuse alcohol from having concealed carry licenses. This bill would allow these people to carry concealed, loaded guns in public.
"By effectively dismantling Mississippi's licensing system, this bill would block law enforcement who stop an armed suspect from confirming that he isn't a violent criminal, severely mentally ill, or otherwise dangerous," said Ken Winter, executive director of the Mississippi Police Chiefs Association. "This bill would put law enforcement officers and all Mississippians directly in harm's way."
In the vast majority of states, including Mississippi, a person must generally acquire a license in order to legally carry a concealed handgun in public. These licenses ensure that certain core public safety standards are preserved when people carry concealed guns in public places, according to the Police Chiefs Association.
"HB 786 would effectively repeal this important public safety law and let people, including some violent criminals, legally carry concealed guns in public without a license," Winter said. "Tucked into HB 786 is a provision that allows individuals to carry a concealed handgun without a license if the gun is carried in a sheath, belt holster, or shoulder holster, effectively allowing for dangerous people to carry loaded, hidden weapons in public."
But Gipson said changes in House Bill 786 are only technical changes clarifying the methods of securely carrying firearms concealed without a permit.
"There is nothing really new about these changes — the only change is that the law now will expressly provide for secure carry in a holster or sheath as another alternative," Gipson said.
Gipson said the Mississippi Legislature adopted and Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law a permitless concealed carry option last year as part of Senate Bill 2394.
Gipson said the permitless carry option that went into effect July 1 authorized concealed carry without a license in a "purse, handbag, satchel, other similar bag or briefcase or fully enclosed case" and we have not seen or heard of any problems with this concealed carry option.
He said a fully enclosed case may, in some instances, include a sheath, shoulder or belt holster. The language in this year's bill adds sheath, shoulder or belt holster.
Gipson said the catalyst for the Church Protection Act was the shooting last year at a Charleston, South Carolina, church that left nine black church members dead. A young white male was charged in the attack.
All firearm licensing requirements would remain in effect under the legislation, according to Gipson.
"We depend on the concealed weapon statute to enforce a felon having a firearm concealed," Winter said. "With him (Gipson) adding line 435 he is trying to basically do away with the concealed weapon provision in this state."
State Rep. Adrienne Wooten, D-Jackson, asked Gipson how many incidents of violence have there been in Mississippi churches.
"Many of us would say there have been potential incidents of violence," Gipson replied.
Gipson said church members should have the ability to protect themselves. Wooten said she worries the law could create untrained vigilante groups in churches.
