From Deseret News archives:
Gun permits shoot up
Reject applications from out of state, some say
As the number of concealed weapons permits issued by Utah continues to climb, public safety officials told lawmakers Wednesday it might be time to stop accepting applications from out-of-state.
By the end of the year, Utah is projected to have issued more than 40,000 concealed weapons permits nearly a 150 percent increase over 2007 and more than a 250 percent boost from 2006.
Slightly more than half of the permit applications received since the beginning of the budget year on July 1, 2007, have gone to Utahns. But since 1994, about two-thirds of the applications have come from out-of-state.
"This program has been growing by leaps and bounds," Lt. Doug Anderson, who runs the concealed weapons permit program for the Utah Department of Public Safety, told members of the Legislature's Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee.
The increase in applications has boosted revenues from the program to about $1 million annually, up from a projected $600,000 or so. That's enabled the department to cut the time it takes to process an application from three months to just one, Anderson said.
Those agreements allow concealed weapons permits to be treated like a drivers license. For example, someone with a Utah driver's license may legally drive in other states just as someone with a license issued by another state may legally drive in Utah.
Public safety officials said the long-standing practice of issuing permits to non-Utahns has left them with problems, including policing out-of-state instructors teaching a required course to obtain the Utah permit. Some 70 percent of the Utah-certified instructors don't live here.
"We would welcome some clarification," Public Safety Commissioner Scott Duncan told the committee, reminding them the state has already stopped issue permits to non-U.S. residents last year for similar reasons.
He said any benefit to the state from issuing permits to non-Utahns "would be hard to know" when asked by another committee member, Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake, to come up with pluses of the program.
Later, Duncan said he's recommending the state stop issuing the permits to non-Utahns but the decision is up to lawmakers. "We'll do it any way they want us to do it," he said, adding, "I think we need to look out for our state first."
One of the strongest gun-rights advocates in the Legislature, Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield, who also sits on the committee, said the question he would ask about issuing concealed weapons permits to non-Utahns is simply, "Why not?"
Oda said after the meeting that he would oppose eliminating out-of-state permits.
"An American is an American," he said. "I don't care if he's a New York American or a Utah American, as citizens we have rights."
E-mail: lisa@desnews.com
Recent comments
you talk about guns killing people, Guns don't kill people, people...
alan in tx | Feb. 17, 2009 at 5:02 a.m.
Our background is checked periodically, when and how often is not...
jgq | June 12, 2008 at 1:59 p.m.
I hope that any person of any background or pursuasion (political,...
jgq | June 12, 2008 at 1:54 p.m.
- 2 stranded hikers rescued 2:00 p.m.
- Groups file suit to stop mine 1:50 p.m.
- Belichick stands by decision 1:38 p.m.
- Adding truth serum to her cereal 1:37 p.m.
- Ex-Marine recruiter pleads guilty 1:37 p.m.
- Of naps, babies, and winter holidays 1:36 p.m.
- Mom seeks to remodel motherhood 1:33 p.m.
- Breastfeeding as weight loss plan 1:32 p.m.
- Food fight? Nah, I'll just wait 1:31 p.m.
- Groups to tackle invasive plants 1:30 p.m.
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- Wounded Utes limp home
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
- Big games keep UHSAA coffers full
- Win in New Mexico good for Y?
- RSL surprised by Chicago's Fire
- Bennett at center of GOP storm
- TCU creams U.
233 - BYU happy to escape with victory
232 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
215 - Will state consider gay rights law?
156 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
131 - RSL heads to MLS title game
131 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
111 - Celtics crush Jazz
104 - 5A: Bingham rolls to title game
93
American Express says it's not going to be a closed-wallet holiday for...
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
should swap
"Anonymous | 1:30 p.m. Nov. 16, 2009 He was such a good missionary. I don't...
I'm ok with people taking risk. But when things go bad, don't go asking the...
Sorry U fans we love Bronco as our Coach. It's you guys who don't. So stop...
um ... She was not on the streets ... It will be good to get some closure...
Salt Lake City wants to be honored by every dictator-run 3rd world country as...
If in you wildest dream Utah ever wins the NC, they can never be ther first...
Jan Jorgensen- "It wasn't that we were flat, we just were not crisp." I'm...
to where? Big 12 - not unless the Big 12 kicks Baylor out C-USA - lol ...
At least AK is remembering the Alamo! The goal here folks is to get two...
