[Hardcase]

Aguila Blanca, for what it's worth, my Professional Engineer license is not valid in most other states. I can apply for a PE license in other states either by taking a test or demonstrating that Idaho's standards meet those states' standards. But my Idaho license does not allow me to practice as a Professional Engineer in any state other than Idaho. Each state sets its own standards.

I'm not an expert on other professional licenses, but as far as I know, unless there is some sort of reciprocity agreement that has been negotiated between states, one state's professional license is not valid in another state.

Initially, I was in favor of this bill, but the more that I think about it, the less I like it. Don't get me wrong - I would very much like my Idaho CCW permit to be valid anywhere in the US. And I believe that the states' rights argument that has been raised by most of the opposition is a red herring, primarily because most of the opposition doesn't give a fig about states' rights, but, rather, can't stand the idea of private citizens owning firearms.

But it is an issue of states' rights for the very same reason that my Idaho Professional Engineering license isn't valid in, say, New York. Both states set minimum standards for licensing. As it happens, both states will issue a license to a PE whose state license meets the minimum standard of the other state. Since Idaho's standards are essentially the same as New York's, I could apply for a New York license if I wanted to practice there.

The same thing ought to go for CCW permits (but, I suppose, without the need for 49 different licenses). And, right now, that's the standard. As it happens, my Idaho CCW permit isn't valid in most states, primarily because there is no ready access to a database of license holders. If that's the standard that other states require for my license to be valid, then that's their right to insist upon.

Now, I understand that, as a citizen of the United States, I have a right to keep and bear arms. I also understand that it is not an unlimited right - the various governments can regulate it to a certain degree. So, at least in my mind, the national standard that has been set is that there is a right to own and carry a firearm. The means of ownership and the means of carry are not explicit and, just as one size of clothing doesn't really fit all, one size of firearms legislation does not suit the entire country. Thus, much as I don't like the fact that I cannot carry a concealed weapon in most states with my Idaho CCW permit, I respect the fact that other states have different standards for allowing concealed carry that are stricter than those of mine (as long as they don't fly in the face of the Constitution.)

By the way, you're all invited to Idaho. My state recognizes ever other state's permits.