Good News for Gun Owners In North Dakota
North Dakotan gun rights advocates received good news after a North Dakota’s lawmaker said he seeks to pass legislation to allow firearms on the State Capitol. Republican Rep. Rick Becker said that he would be introducing this new legislation in 2021 that would remove the current prohibitions. According to legal sources, carrying a gun on the State Capitol is a criminal offense that attracts a fine of up to $1000, and has been in effect since 1989.
This follows a successful pro-gun rally "Shall Not Be Infringed Rally" he organized after the proposal of Initiative Petitions 43 and 44. These seek to ban the sale of standard-capacity magazines, and implement various other restrictions, including making gun owners take full responsibility for any injuries caused by projectiles leaving their muzzle. Pro-gun advocates in North Dakota rightfully argue that such measures would further water down the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and use firearms, hence giving criminals an upper hand.
Rep. Becker learned of the law just a day before the rally, and warned some of the advocates. In his criticism, he asserted that such a rule should not be the responsibility of a few bureaucrats. Rep. Becker is a member and founder of the Bastiat Caucus, which believes in limited government and the use of law in protecting God-given rights of all citizens.
Needless to say, LSGR fully supports Rep. Becker's push to remove the prohibitions of carrying the tools of self-defense on Capitol grounds. It is our firm belief that since government did not grant our right to bear arms, they carry no authority to regulate it in any way. North Dakota was ranked 28th according to the Cato Institute's measures for gun rights, one place higher than Texas; however, this has not been updated for 2019.
Earlier this year, a watered-down version of Constitutional Carry went into effect. It only applies to residents of North Dakota, and only applies to carrying concealed. Open carry still requires a permit in the State, and non-residents must still have a valid permit, even if carrying concealed. This is still leaps and bounds ahead of the Texas Legislature's embarrassing antics that has killed Constitutional Carry every session since 2014.
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