Concealed weapons bill clears hurdle

CARSON CITY -- A bill to streamline the concealed weapons permitting process for semi-automatic weapons will get a vote on the state Senate floor after receiving a unanimous nod Tuesday from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Under Assembly Bill 143, applicants would have to be certified once to carry any semi-automatic weapon they own as a concealed weapon. Nevada currently requires owners be certified for each separate weapon they own but does not have a parallel rule for revolvers.

The bill's sponsor, Assemblyman David Bobzien, D-Reno, said the difference in state law is a quirk.

"If you are qualified for one semi-automatic firearm on your permit, you should be qualified for any one that you happen to possess," he told the committee. "It's an issue of parity between how the law addresses revolvers and how the law addresses semi-automatic handguns."

He said it's common sense that owners should not have to qualify for each semi-automatic weapon they possess.