Oklahoma’s Republican governor rejected legislation on Friday that would have authorized Oklahomans’ to carry a firearm in public or private without a permit or training — a measure backed by the National Rifle Association.
“I believe the firearms laws we currently have in place are effective, appropriate and minimal,” Gov. Mary Fallin said in a statement Friday after she vetoed Senate Bill 1212.
The measure would have eliminated Oklahoma’s current requirement that those who carry a firearms in public must have already undergone a training course and have a permit, prompting Fallin to claim that the legislation would have eliminated “the current ability of Oklahoma law enforcement to distinguish between those carrying guns who have been trained and vetted, and those who have not.”
“Oklahoma is a state that respects the Second Amendment. As governor, I have signed both concealed-carry and open-carry legislation. I support the right to bear arms and own a pistol, a rifle, and a shotgun,” Fallin said. “Senate Bill 1212 eliminates the training requirements for persons carrying a firearms in Oklahoma. It reduces the level of the background check necessary to carry a gun.”
Fallin’s veto received harsh criticism from the NRA, which suggested she would be voted out of office.
“Make no mistake, this temporary setback will be rectified when Oklahoma residents elect a new and genuinely pro-Second Amendment governor,” NRA executive director for legislative affairs Chris Cox said in a statement.
A total of 12 other states have already passed similar legislation: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
