National Constitutional Carry Act

Key Points

• This bill would create a federal right for any U.S. citizen who can legally own a gun to carry it in public without needing a state permit, license, or paying any fees. It would override all state and local laws that restrict public carry.
• Any existing state or local law that punishes or discourages people from carrying guns in public would be wiped out — including permit requirements, training mandates, and fees. These laws would simply have no legal effect.
• People could carry guns in most public places, including privately owned businesses open to the public like stores and restaurants. However, private owners can still ban guns if they post clear, visible signs, and places with security screening (like courthouses or airports) remain restricted.
• The bill is grounded in recent Supreme Court rulings — including Heller, McDonald, and Bruen — which affirmed an individual right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. Sponsors argue that state permit requirements violate the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.
• The bill applies not just to the 50 states but also to Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories, meaning it would override gun carry restrictions everywhere under U.S. jurisdiction.