Video: Alabama Proposed Concealed Handgun Bill

Pickens County, ALA. (WCBI)—If you carry a concealed handgun in Alabama, you must have a permit.

One Tuscaloosa lawmaker wants to change that.

Republican Gerald Allen has tried before to repeal the permit requirement. His bill is back in front of the Alabama legislature.

In order to carry a concealed gun in Alabama, you need one of these. Some people say that’s too much red tape.

“You have the right to carry that firearm but you have to have all these other odds and ends and documents saying you can when you should just be able to go purchase it … if you choose,”Pickens County Resident Danny Brown.

Alabama Lawmaker Gerald Allen pre-filed this bill in January.

“In effect what this bill does is take a tool away from law enforcement to disarm violent criminals,”said Pickens County Alabama Sheriff David Abston.

This proposal has many members of Law Enforcement concerned.

“As a Sheriff I firmly back the second amendment. I want all of our citizens to be armed to protect themselves. At the same time law enforcement has to be able to go in and disarm bad actors, criminals, mentally ill terrorists and I don’t think This bill was well thought out,”said Abston.

Lamar County Sheriff Hal Allred tells WCBI, the $20 fee to carry a Concealed weapon permit assists the department with many necessities.

Pickens County Sheriff David Abston, agrees.

” This money generated by the pistol permit goes to buy our uniforms equipment our firearms our training our ammunition to train and sending people to the police academy once you take away that funding where’s the money going to come from?” asked Abston.

Abston goes on to say the Alabama Sheriff’s Association along with the Pickens county commission are against the bill.