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An Act To Increase the Number of Concealed Firearms Permit Reciprocity Agreements That Maine May Enter into with Other Eligible States
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2001-A, sub-§2, ¶F,  as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. N, §2 and affected by Pt. X, §2, is amended to read:
 
F.  A firearm carried by a person to whom a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm has been issued by another state if a permit to carry a concealed firearm issued from that state has been granted reciprocity. The Chief of the State Police may enter into reciprocity agreements with 2any other states that meet the requirements of this paragraph. Reciprocity may be granted to a permit to carry a concealed firearm issued from another state if:
 
(1) The other state that issued the permit to carry a concealed firearm has substantially equivalent or stricter requirements for the issuance of a permit to carry a concealed firearm; and
 
(2) The other state that issued the permit to carry a concealed firearm observes the same rules of reciprocity in regards toregarding a person issued a permit to carry a concealed firearm under this chapter.
 
SUMMARY
This bill is submitted by the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety pursuant to Resolve 2007, chapter 84. That resolve directed the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Attorney General to review other states' concealed firearms laws to determine if any satisfy Maine's statutory standards for reciprocity. After review of all other states' concealed firearms laws, the reviewers identified several states that meet or exceed Maine's standards and could be approached as candidates for reciprocity. This bill repeals the limitation that the Chief of the State Police may enter into reciprocity with no more than 2 states. The bill authorizes the Chief of the State Police to enter into reciprocity agreements with any other states that meet or exceed the requirements of this State.