Lawmakers OK Bill to Not Require Concealed Carry Permit

Lawmakers have approved a push to make West Virginia the sixth state not to require concealed handgun permits.

The House of Delegates voted 71-29 Thursday to drop concealed carry permit requirements. Arkansas, Alaska, Arizona, Vermont and Wyoming have passed similar laws.

Senators passed their version late last month.

Open carry, like a holster on a hip, is legal without permitting in West Virginia. Thirty-one states have similar open-carry rules.

Covering handguns up with a coat, for instance, requires a permit.

The House version requires people who carry concealed handguns to be 21 years old, with military exceptions.

The state Sheriffs Association opposes the bill, saying it could let more dangerous people carry concealed weapons and take away permit money that helps local law enforcement.

Proponents cited 2nd Amendment arguments.