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Richard Piatt ReportingA bill that would allow anyone over the age of 18 to carry a loaded gun in their car for protection is on hold at the State Capitol.
Supporters of this bill say these are necessary, technical changes to current law, but the idea of allowing anyone to have a loaded gun in a vehicle came close to killing the bill. At the last minute, it was put on hold instead.
Right now, you can have a gun in your car, but it has to be unloaded. The law also doesn't allow you to keep it in your glove compartment. The new law would allow the gun to be loaded in your car, and you can have it either encased or on your car seat.
Surrounding states allow this right now, but there were emotional appeals, both pro and con, about this latest gun-rights measure.
Larry Bunkall, Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation: "I just think the basic fundamental training of safety with guns is in jeopardy when people push gun rights law. And we, as employers, want to secure our workplaces."
Brian Judy, National Rifle Association: "The inflammatory rhetoric you hear about uzi's and assault rifles, etc., that's just inflammatory rhetoric meant to confuse the issue. Law abiding citizens should be allowed to carry a firearm, and carry it loaded."
A few of the senators in this committee didn't like the idea of young people potentially having access to a gun in a car, but concerns about dangerous weapons, crime rates and all that didn't really deter them.
There is still an outside chance the bill will make more progress in the two weeks that are left in the Legislature.
