PrintState legislators will again be considering a concealed handgun bill that will allow people with concealed licenses to carry firearms into restaurants that serve alcohol.
State Sen. George K. Munoz, D-District 4, has prefiled Senate Bill 40 that would "allow concealed handguns in a restaurant that sells beer and wine and derives no less than 60 percent of its annual gross receipts from the sale of food for consumption on the premises."
The bill would amend state statute that makes it unlawful to conceal-carry a loaded or unloaded firearm in an establishment that serves alcohol for consumption on its premises.
State Rep. John A. Heaton, D-Dist. 55, introduced House Bill 105 in the 2009 regular session. Munoz also introduced the same bill to the Senate in 2009. Both bills were indefinitely postponed.
"We know most guns that are stolen are taken out of vehicles," Munoz said. "When people leave their guns in a vehicle and it's broken into, they get into the wrong hands."
Munoz said the problem with concealed handguns is not with people who have a concealed license.
"The problem is with people that don't have a license," he said. "They're already in liquor establishments. They already take them in illegally. We're just trying to say we're trying to abide by the law. If we leave our firearm in our vehicle, it's where they're most vulnerable. We don't want to do that. We have the right to bear arms and protect ourselves."
Munoz said restaurant owners can post a sign that prohibits firearms from being openly carried or concealed into their establishments.
"People who carry concealed handguns already abide by the law," he said. "They've got licenses and training. They have to take a refresher course every two years. It's their choice where they want to carry it. They're already law-abiding citizens."
Munoz said it's gun-carrying people who don't obey laws that everyone needs to worry about.
"The military guy in Texas that killed all the soldiers," he said. "We're not worried about anybody, but things happen that could save someone's life. What's a life worth?"
Alamogordo Second Amendment Task Force member Daniel Woodruff said he is in favor of the bill.
"A restaurant serving alcohol, I think people should be able to conceal and open-carry in them," Woodruff said. "I would like to see our state constitution changed to reflect more openly our U.S. Constitution that basically states our right to carry shall not be infringed, which means our right to conceal carry would not be infringed, either."
He said Alaska and Vermont allow citizens to conceal-carry without a permit.
"Both states seem to have no problems with it," Woodruff said. "A2ATF is a nonpartisan and nonpolitical group. We just support citizens' rights. We don't endorse candidates or political parties. We believe in upholding our rights under our state constitution and U.S. Constitution."
Contact Duane Barbati at dbarbati@alamogordonews.com Copyright 2010 Alamogordo Daily News.
