Tuesday evening, the Alabama House of Representatives passed State Rep. Shane Stringer’s (R-Citronelle) constitutional carry bill by a vote of 65-37-1.
The House-approved legislation would allow lawful citizens to carry a firearm without having to pay a fee to purchase a pistol permit. The law would not eliminate permits due to the need to obtain one to carry a firearm in states that recognize the validity of Alabama concealed carry permits.
Stringer last year was ousted from his post in the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office due to his support of permitless carry.
For two hours, House Democrats took to the floor to debate Stringer on the merits of his bill.
State Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) indicated that lawmakers that voted in support of constitutional carry would leave the House chamber with the “blood of some innocent person on their hands.”
Also challenging the bill with harsh rhetoric was State Rep. Louise Alexander (D-Birmingham), who told Stringer that his legislation was “the most racist bill I’ve ever saw.”
While constitutional carry faced fierce opposition from progressive lawmakers and multiple advocacy groups, Stringer insisted that passing the measure was in the best interest of the law-abiding public.
“I’m excited we were able to get it through and get it over with, and letting the Alabama citizens know that we’re listening to them,” Stringer told Yellowhammer News. “You know, this is only going to apply to law-abiding citizens that will give them the ability to protect themselves in their cars or on their persons with their weapons concealed or open.”
When asked about the rigorous task of advancing the legislation through the lower chamber, Stringer said he and his colleagues took a deliberative approach to the process.
“Basically, we let the process work and we listened to people,” said the freshman lawmaker. “You know, we addressed the concerns that were coming at us from different directions to make sure this was a good bill. We rallied support, and once we got the bill to where we thought it was a good bill and ready to go forward, we pushed it and were able to get the support and get it passed.”
One of the most ardent opponents of constitutional carry was the Alabama Sheriffs Association, which claimed that the bill would serve to endanger the public.
However, Stringer asserted that individuals who were determined to commit crime would do so regardless of their obtaining a pistol permit. Stringer told Yellowhammer News that the measure would ensure that law-abiding citizens hold the ability to protect themselves.
He concluded, “The fact of the matter is a $20 piece of plastic is not going to stop and evil-hearted person from hurting one of our law enforcement officers or doing something to them. You know, criminals are criminals. This is going to put the law-abiding citizens on an equal playing field.”
The passage of constitutional carry marks a significant victory for the House GOP Caucus, which included the measure in its public policy agenda for the 2022 regular legislative session.
The bill now heads to the Alabama Senate, where it is expected to be well-received among the Republican majority.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
