Recapping ND Legislature’s actions on gun-related bills

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – With mass shootings in the news, there’s a lot of talk about guns in the national media lately. But what position did North Dakota lawmakers take on the gun debate during the session?

In short, the North Dakota Legislature’s approach to guns has been to make it easier to carry them.

Brandon Sharvat, the owner of Mandan Sporting Goods, is happy with the state’s approach to gun issues.

“We’re pro-gun here in North Dakota, so we’re doing a good job, I think,” said Sharvat.

The Legislature rejected several bills this session that would have expanded concealed carry in places like the Capitol and on college campuses. But it wasn’t exactly a rebuke of the second amendment.

“We created a significant study that will get down into the nitty gritty of each location that we say no to right now, and then we’ll have a bill coming out next session to look at each of these places and determine whether we can or cannot carry a side arm in those facilities,” said Representative Pat Heinert, R-Bismarck.

The rush of new gun legislation came from the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, which struck down a New York gun safety law as unconstitutional.

“That said that in order to say a person cannot carry a weapon or a concealed weapon in a certain place, each state has to have a historical value placed on that location,” said Heinert.

And in Sharvat’s opinion, bolstering second amendment rights at the state level is a good idea.

“A lot of these shootings that have gone on in the last couple years are on college campuses and places like that. So, I think if they’re expanding that, that’s just going to help protect us a little more,” he said.

Of course, some people who testified against these bills would disagree.

The Legislature will work with the Attorney General’s office in the interim to determine where concealed carry can be expanded.

There were some gun bills that were rejected outright. One of them was a bill that would have prohibited North Dakota from instituting red flag laws.

The bill aimed at expanding concealed carry will be introduced in 2025.

Previous Coverage: ND Legislature passes gun study

Previous Coverage: ND House defeats bills to expand concealed carry, combined into study; passes other gun-related bills

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