Alabama House Majority Caucus

ALABAMA STATE HOUSE, MONTGOMERY, AL 36130

NATHANIAL LEDBETTER, MAJORITY LEADER

To: Alabama House Republican Caucus Members
From: Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter
Date: April 9, 2021

LIFTETIME CONCEAL CARRY PERMITS
  • The Alabama House on Thursday awarded final passage to a bill being carried in the chamber by State Rep. Proncey Robertson (R – Mount Hope) that allows Alabamians to acquire lifetime conceal/carry firearm permits, which saves the trouble and inconvenience of having to travel to the local sheriff’s office and reapply each time a current permit expires.
  • The bill also allows law enforcement officers to better protect our families by providing tools to identify convicted felons and other individuals who have had to surrender their gun rights after judges ruled they pose a danger to the public.
  • It streamlines the permitting process so it is handled in the same manner in each of the 67 counties rather than the haphazard, patchwork quilt of varying processes that are currently in place.
  • A number of groups ranging from Alabama sheriffs, local district attorneys, the National Rifle Association, and other gun rights advocates were consulted as the legislation was drafted and progressed through the process, and their input was incorporated into the final version.
FAIR ELECTIONS LEGISLATION
  • On Tuesday, the Alabama House approved a constitutional amendment by State Rep. Jim Carns (R – Vestavia Hills) that prevents legislative election law changes to be implemented within six months of an election.
  • The amendment, which required a supermajority for approval and would have to be ratified by voters before taking effect, ensures a fair and equal process for all candidates and prevents last-minute rules changes while an election is taking place.
  • Passage of the amendment would help protect Alabama elections from manipulation and mischief at a time when several statues are under scrutiny because of questionable changes in their 2020 presidential balloting.
  • House Democrats staged a 90-minute filibuster against the amendment, but they offered no cogent or legitimate arguments against the measure’s passage. House Republicans clotured the dilatory tactics and approved the bill.