Nebraska
Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:41 am
Anyone know if there is a chance Nebraska will eventually offer a non-resdient license?
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Kearney Repeals Citywide Ban On Concealed Handguns
January 27, 2009
Acknowledging state law trumps a local ordinance, the Kearney City Council has repealed the city’s 51-year-old total ban on carrying concealed firearms.
The council’s 4-1 vote came in the wake of an opinion issued by Attorney General Jon Bruning which said cities and towns cannot effectively override a 2007 statute which allows qualified Nebraskans to carry concealed handguns.
Councilman Randy Buschkoetter cast the dissenting vote, the Kearney Hub reported.
If a city could make it illegal to have a concealed weapon anywhere within the community’s limits, Bruning noted, someone with a state-issued “carry permit” could be ticketed, even though they were in compliance with state law.
More than 4,700 Nebraskans had applied for and received carry permits, which are valid statewide, by the end of December, 2008.
Among other communities that have total bans on concealed firearms are: Beatrice, Bellevue, Columbus, Crawford, Hastings, Holdrege, La Vista, Lexington, Norfolk, North Platte, O'Neill, Plattsmouth, Scottsbluff, Seward, Sidney, South Sioux City, Wayne and York.
Bruning’s opinion surprised many lawmakers who had believed, and some still think they were right, that the state law allowed local governments the authority to opt out of its provisions – and ban concealed firearms, period.
Some communities have decided to keep their ordinances on the books, at least for awhile, or until the issue is officially settled by the courts.
“I believe such ordinances are void as a matter of law,” Bruning said shortly after the opinion was issued. “I think that, if brought before the Nebraska Supreme Court, they would be struck down as unconstitutional.”
“I’m hoping we can have conversations with them (the communities involved) and the league,” that would facilitate repeal of the ordinances,” he said. “I don’t want to end up having to spend money going to court when it shouldn’t be necessary to do that.”
The statute enumerates some specific places where guns cannot be carried; and any business has the right to bar handguns from its premises. It also bars permit holders from carrying guns when they have been drinking, or have any alcohol or controlled substance in their blood. Several communities have adopted standards more strict than those in state law, which is permissible. Bruning simply opined that a community cannot entirely ban those with state permits from carrying concealed weapons anywhere within the city or town limits.