Permits No Longer Needed for Concealed Carry in Arizona

Looks like somebody wants to get re-elected in Arizona:

In Arizona, it's now legal for (most) adults to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. Republican Gov. Jan Brewer just signed the legislation, putting her state in the same camp as Alaska and Vermont.

The state had issued 154,000 permits under the old law, which required background checks and instruction. Gun buyers still face federal background checks when purchasing weapons from a store.

For the record, I have no problem with background checks and proficiency training as required by most states that issue CCW permits. The problem I have in California is that this is a "may issue" state, meaning the local Sheriff gets to choose who to issue permits to, if any at all. In Orange County gun permits have become something of a badge of political cronyism, with friends and political supporters having a much better chance of success than the average person. In fact, average persons pretty much had better not apply, because unless they can show that their life is in immediate danger, they're probably not going to get a permit.

In a "shall issue" state the Sheriff can only deny a permit if the person does not meet the permitting requirements of that state.  Otherwise he is compelled by state law to issue the permit.

We have a Sheriff's election coming up in June, and although that won't change the law in California, it could change the attitude in the Sheriff's office towards issuing permits.  I met one of the candidates, Bill Hunt, at the Mission Viejo Tea Party, and I'm hoping to interview him on this issue sometime before the election.