Alabama Constitutional Carry Bill HB 272

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Concealed Carry Permit No Longer Required

With the new law HB 272 going into effect on January 1st, 2023, you no longer need a concealed weapons permit to carry a concealed weapon. However, as with any law, there are loopholes and stipulations.

HB 272 is a new law that changes the way the State of Alabama allows persons to carry concealed weapons. Previously, you would need to go to your local Sheriff’s Office and apply for a concealed weapon permit.

What It Means

With this new law you no longer need a concealed weapons permit to carry a concealed weapon. HB 272 removes the requirement of having to have a concealed weapons permit issued by your Sheriff’s office.

Alabama was already an open and carry state. That means, even before this new law went into effect, you could visibly carry a firearm on your person. You just had to have a permit to carry a loaded weapon in your vehicle, purse or hidden on your person, like inside of a jacket.

The previous law required individuals without a permit to disarm themselves while in their vehicle. This meant you were not allowed to have a loaded firearm in your vehicle, and it had to be locked in a compartment. The new law allows unpermitted individuals to carry a loaded a firearm in a vehicle, not locked in a compartment or portable safe.

Restrictions

The Alabama Constitutional Carry law means you are no longer required to have a permit to carry a loaded weapon hidden on your person, but that doesn’t mean you can go just anywhere with a loaded firearm. Certain restrictions still apply.

Such as:

• Any location prohibited by state or federal law
• Inside the building of a police, sheriff, or highway patrol station.
• Inside or on the premises of a prison, jail, halfway house, community corrections facility, or other detention facility
• Inside a courthouse
• Inside a building in which a district attorney’s office is located
• Inside a building in which a county commission or city council is meeting
• Inside a Hospital, Rehabilitation Facility, Nursing Home or other healthcare facility.
• Any Sporting or Athletic Event including Youth, Highschool, Collegiate or Professional.
• Inside any facility hosting an athletic event which is sponsored by a private or public elementary or secondary school or any private or public institution of postsecondary education.
• Inside any facility hosting a professional athletic event.

How This New Law Applies To Knife Carry

HB 272 includes repeal of Alabama’s ban on concealed carry of a “bowie [sic] knife, or other knife or instrument of the like kind or description.”

That vague clause, “of the like kind or description,” had been broadly defined by Alabama courts to include, for example, a 6-inch kitchen knife. As such, concealed carry of any similar sized fixed blade could be held to be illegal.

Vague laws such as this only serve to entrap innocent people that had no intent to break the law.

Thank You, Govenor Ivey

Gov. Ivey said, “unlike states who are doing everything in their power to make it harder for law abiding citizens, Alabama is reaffirming our commitment to defending our Second Amendment rights.”

Texas Knife Shop & Cutting Edge Newsletter thank Gov. Ivey for signing this bill and making Alabama Constitutional Carry!

To read Alabama HB272 in its entirety CLICK HERE.