FYI – PA no Longer Honors AZ and VA Non Resident Permit/Licenses

[Gary Slider]

PA is amending all their agreements and it will shortly not honor any states Non Resident Permit. They posted on their site today agreements amended with Virginia and Arizona stating such. They now have agreements wit Maine, Florida, Arizona and Virginia stating they will only honor Permit/Licenses issued to Legal Residents of the State. www.handgunlaw.us will be updated late this evening showing this change in how PA honors AZ and VA permit/licenses. You can see the agreements here:

http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/crime.aspx?id=184

[DaveTrig]

Gary,
I think you may be misinterpreting, or perhaps over-interpreting, the notices from the Pennsylvania AG.
Here are the notices relating to FL, AZ, and VA:
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploa...ce_Arizona.pdf
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploa...e_02062013.pdf
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploa...e_Virginia.pdf

These appear only to pertain to residents of Pennsylvania, i.e., a Pennsylvania resident cannot *only* have a Florida permit and be honored, but rather, a Pennsylvania resident *must* have a Pennsylvania permit.

I can find no mention in any of the AG notices that a non-resident of Pennsylvania will no longer have a FL, AZ, VA non-resident permit honored. For example, I don't see how the notice revokes recognition of a NY resident's FL, AZ, or VA permit.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Dave

[DaveTrig]

FYI, I have submitted an inquiry to the PA Attorney General's office requesting clarification. I will post as soon as I receive an answer.

[Gary Slider]

Better read the agreements. They all state the same thing. PA will honor that states permit issued to LEGAL RESIDENTS of that state.

THE AG Put that out so PA residents carrying on those states permit/license would have time to get a PA Permit/license.

[DaveTrig]

Well, that was dumb of me. Obviously I just read the notice - didn't realize the agreement actually changed too.

Thanks, Gary.

[ChuckS]

Thanks Gary.

It seems we will need to contact our representatives to rein in this AG.

The present AG has directly reversed the interpretation and practice of our previous AG (now Governor) and is actively working to change all reciprocal agreements to not recognize any non-resident licenses.

This is not how the law reads, in fact the law doesn't address it at all and our new AG (Kathleen Kane) seems to be making up this restriction on her own.

I could understand why she would change Me and FL, both who only recognize resident licenses. But neither AZ or VA have such requirements. The PA law requires her to enter into reciprocity with states that have similar laws. Her imposed residency requirement seems to be a requirement/law she has created. I hope our lawmakers will take issue with her 'additional' requirements not specifically required by law.

We'll see if we can get our state representatives toaddress this directly.

[bikerbill]

I believe the legislature here in Texas is looking at the issue of Texans carrying with out-of-state licenses, with an eye to honoring only Texas plastic if you are a resident, rather than accepting, say, a Utah permit from a Texas resident. A Texas CHL takes a bit of effort (full day of classes and shooting demo, about $140 in fees) so I can understand why some folks would try and use out-of-state permits ..

Not sure how I feel about it ...

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by bikerbill

A Texas CHL takes a bit of effort (full day of classes and shooting demo, about $140 in fees) so I can understand why some folks would try and use out-of-state permits ..

That's one of the really odd things about the reciprocity changes:
All the states PA recently changed agreements with (FL, ME, VA, AZ) are arguably harder to get than PA because they do have training requirements (and 3 of 4 require fingerprint cards) whereas PA is shall issue with no traiining required.

[csmsss]

I'm not sure what good contacting representatives will accomplish. If the law is clearly written, they have already done their job. Someone will need to bring suit against the AG in order to effect a remedy.

[ChuckS]

Here is the actual statute:

Originally Posted by 18 Pa.C.S. § 6109: Licenses

(k) Reciprocity.
(1) The Attorney General shall have the power and duty to enter into reciprocity agreements with other states providing for the mutual recognition of a license to carry a firearm issued by the Commonwealth and a license or permit to carry a firearm issued by the other state. To carry out this duty, the Attorney General is authorized to negotiate reciprocity agreements and grant recognition of a license or permit to carry a firearm issued by another state.
(2) The Attorney General shall report to the General Assembly within 180 days of the effective date of this paragraph and annually thereafter concerning the agreements which have been consummated under this subsection.

Nowhere do I see a residency requirement for "license or permit issued by another state."

Does "negotiate" allow the AG to interpret this requirement and include it into the agreement?