BURGUM SIGNS "CONSTITUTIONAL CARR Y" BILL INT O LAW

Nowatzki, Mike to Mike 9:13 PM

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Contact: Mike Nowatzki, 701.328.2424

Burgum signs cons tu onal

carry bill into law
BISMARCK, N.D. (March 23, 2017) Go vernor Doug Bur gum today signed legisla on allowing law-abiding ci zens to carry a
concealed handgun if the y have possessed a v alid North Dak ota drivers license or s tate ID card for at least a year.

The cons tu onal carry authority pr ovided under House Bill 1169 applies only within North Dak otas borders. Those wan ng
concealed carry reciprocity with other s tates must apply for a Class 1 or Class 2 North Dak ota concealed weapon license, for
which the requirements remain unchang ed.

Current law only requires an applic ant for a Class 2 license t o complete an open-book t est, at a cost of up to $50, and under go
a criminal his tory records check. Class 1 lic enses require rearms training and addi onal r equirements. Both licenses c arry a
$60 applica on fee.

Under HB 1169, an yone who is eligible t o possess a Class 2 r earm license and has ha d a valid drivers license or s tate ID card
for at least a year may carry a concealed rearm. Law enforcement ocials recommended the s tate ID languag e, as well as the
bills requirement that anyone carrying a concealed weapon inform law enforcement of the weapon during a tr ac stop or
other contact.

Someone who has been c onvicted of a felony or crime of violence will s ll be precluded from carrying a handgun under this
new law. Individuals who ini a te the purchase of a handgun fr om a federally licensed dealer ar e s ll required to undergo a
federal background check, which runs thei r name and descrip ve informa on through three na onal databases.

North Dakota has a rich herit age of hun ng and a cultur e of deep respect for rearm safety. As a hunter and gun o wner
myself, I strongly support gun righ ts for law-abiding ci zens, Burgum said. House Bill 1169 allo ws ci zens to exercise their
Second Amendmen t right under the U .S. Cons tu on. It also is c onsistent with the North Dak ota Cons tu on, which declar es
in Ar cle I tha t all individuals ha ve the inalienable righ t to keep and bear arms f or the defense of their per son, family, property,
and the state, and for lawful hun ng, recrea onal, and other la wful purposes, which shall not be in fringed.

At the same me, Bur gum who has a Cla ss 1 concealed weapons license tha t requires applicants to demonstrate rearms
prociency not ed that neither the e xis ng Class 2 r equirements nor HB 1169 ha ve a rearms training component. He
encouraged anyone considering c arrying a concealed weapon to enroll in one of North Dak otas many cer ed gun sa fety
courses.

Gun ownership is both a righ t and a responsibility, and that responsibility begins wit h individuals and f amilies, Burgum said.

No law enforcement agencies or groups tes ed against HB 1169. A r epresenta ve of the North Dak ota Peace Ocers
Associa on tes ed the bill is mor e enforceable because of the pr ovision restric ng it only to North Dakota residents and the
requirement that those carrying a concealed weapon must inform a peace ocer upon c ontact.

I ask legisla tors and law enforcement ocials to closely monit or this new law with a con nual focus on public sa fety, Burgum
said.

The bill does not chang e the places design ated in law as o-limits to conceal carry, including schools and publicly o wned or
operated buildings.

House Bill 1169, which passed o verwhelmingly with bipar san support, t akes eect Aug. 1, 2017.

More informa on about c oncealed weapon licenses is a vailable on the North Dak ota A orney Generals website at
h ps://a orneygeneral.nd.gov/public-safety/concealed-weapons-licenses/ obtaining-north-dakota-concealed-w eapon-
license/eligibility .
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Mike Nowatzki