Wisconsin issues 100,000th concealed-weapon permit

[FarmerRick]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/state-issues-100000th-concealed-weapon-permit-b453bo9-148271255.html


Madison - The state Department of Justice issued its 100,000th concealed-carry permit Friday, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said.

The department is receiving more applications for permits than expected. When the state's concealed weapons law was approved last year, Van Hollen estimated the state would issue 125,000 permits in the first year. It is easily on track to do that because 100,000 permits have been issued in less than six months, Van Hollen told reporters at a news conference in the room where large machines print off the licenses.

"I anticipate we're certainly going to hit that 125,000 mark. I would not be surprised we hit a mark higher than that," the Republican at torney general said.

The department receives hundreds of applications every day. Sales of handguns also are up, Van Hollen said.

On Nov. 1, Wisconsin became the 49th state to allow residents to carry concealed weapons, leaving Illinois as the only state with a ban on concealed weapons. Van Hollen said there have been no problems since Wisconsin residents gained the ability to carry hidden guns.

"There were doomsday people out there, before concealed carry was passed, who were predicting, of course, the doom and gloom that when we put more guns on the street, that when more people are able to carry concealed weapons, that we're going to have more problems," he said. "Nothing could have been further from the truth."

He said he was confident implementing the law would go smoothly because other states with concealed weapons laws have had minimal issues.

"We expected we would not have problems in Wisconsin either, and we have not," he said.


     ~~See more at link~~




Have we even passed the 20,000 mark here in Nebraska yet?

[metaldoc]

100,000 permits have been issued in less than six months, Van Hollen told reporters at a news conference in the room where large machines print off the licenses.

And apparently no bottlenecks... looks like better planning was in place than here in Nebraska.  Maybe we need bigger machines!   

[bk09]

They have a population just over 3x ours. And about 5x as many permits issued in less time... Surprising how few of Nebraskans have it.

[Bill]

They have a population just over 3x ours. And about 5x as many permits issued in less time... Surprising how few of Nebraskans have it.

I confess I don't have mine.  The costs involved are prohibitive for someone of my modest means. 

[bullit]

And ths streets of Madison run with blood.....

[wallace11bravo]

... the blood of Ron Burgundy...

[AlanS]

Are there any reliable numbers published on how many have been issued in Nebraska?

[LM4202]

They have a population just over 3x ours. And about 5x as many permits issued in less time... Surprising how few of Nebraskans have it.

Indeed, its very surprising.  Compared to our 15 or 16,000 over a 5 year period.  I never would have thought that when I first moved here.  Nebraska, despite being a red, conservative state, seems very apathetic when it comes to concealed carry compared with other states.  If you look at the cost of training in Wisconsin, the price is comparable to here in Nebraska.  The only difference is the application fee, being 50 dollars less there. 

[Husker_Fan]

The other difference may be perceived need.  A higher percentage of Wisconsin residents live or commute to urban centers than in Nebraska. 

It would be interesting to see a county-by-county breakdown of the numbers for Nebraska.  I think the numbers in Douglas and Sarpy county would surprise some people here.

[Lorimor]

http://www.argusleader.com/article/20061217/NEWS/612170334/South-Dakotans-No-1-permits-conceal-guns

This is old info, but even back then, SD had a BUNCH of permit holders. 

I haven't quite figured out us Huskers.   

[UPCrawfish]

In Chriz Z's CHP class, he gave us some recent numbers on CHP in Nebraska and compared to Utah's numbers.   If I could find my notes (someone cleaned up my desk!) I could give you his numbers but IIRC, Nebraska numbers were in the 17,000 range and Utah numbers, which included non-resident, were in the 6 figure range.

[DanClrk51]

Indeed, its very surprising.  Compared to our 15 or 16,000 over a 5 year period.  I never would have thought that when I first moved here.  Nebraska, despite being a red, conservative state, seems very apathetic when it comes to concealed carry compared with other states.  If you look at the cost of training in Wisconsin, the price is comparable to here in Nebraska.  The only difference is the application fee, being 50 dollars less there. 

There are actually a lot more differences between Nebraska and Wisconsin which have caused us less of us to pursue ccw.

1. Cost (Wisconsin state fee$50 Nebraska state fee $100. Wisconsin law recognizes basically any firearms training class whether that be NRA or military or even hunter safety which is free. Nebraska its 8-10 hours and also mandates live fire which Wisconsin does not)

2. Convenience (Wisconsin lets you mail your application with the money, Nebraska you must apply in person, causing many to have to take time off work)

3. Media Attention (The news had been fanning the flames of anticipation with heavy attention to this issue well before November all the way to the beginning of 2011 and even after the law took effect...although it has calmed down now. Nebraska never had near the amount of media coverage. The prolonged media attention which spanned for months helped the average Wisconsinite know that they would have an option for ccw.)

4. Law (Restrictions: Wisconsin's CCW law is much much much less strict than Nebraska's law. There are way less gun free zones and even if a business posts a no guns sign it does not have force of law and you can only get into legal trouble if after having been asked to leave by the owner you refuse to leave, resulting in a criminal tresspass charge as opposed to a firearms violation.

So for many Nebraskans they have decided its not worth it because to them it seems like too much of a hassle for little benefit. I know many pro-gun pro-ccw folks who own handguns and want to carry but have told me they don't bother to get the permit because its too expensive and the rules are too strict and we can't carry in a lot of places. The consequences for breaking those rules are also very strict resulting in the loss of your permit. Yes...we have made some positive changes since the law was originally implemented but we are still no where near the the libertine qualities that the CCW laws of our neighbors Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin have.

I do really believe though that cost is one of the biggest factors. Pennsylvania for instance has an est. over 600,000 active permits. (See http://legallyarmed.com/ccw_statistics.htm ). PA's permit cost is only $20 and its good for 5 years (See http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/pennsylvania.pdf).

[bullit]

Some interesting thoughts DanClark:

"Nebraska its 8-10 hours"
For the record there is no "required" amount of time for a NE CHP course.  Depends how efficiently the required information can be dispensed and range portion completed.   A comparable example is the TX CHP courses run about the same and requires a range portion. 

My two cents on cost of training and cost of permit.... what is your life or your loved ones' worth?   With regards to resticted places Nebraska has simliar ones as our neighbors to the South.  A BIG exception (and one I hate here) is banks. 

To me it is a mindset in this state.  Maybe I am biased being from the South and owning a gun meant more than "I have a shotgun and I hunt pheasants and why on earth would you need an assault rifle or a concealed permit, why are you paranoid ad nauseum etc etc...."

[DanClrk51]

Some interesting thoughts DanClark:

"Nebraska its 8-10 hours"
For the record there is no "required" amount of time for a NE CHP course.  Depends how efficiently the required information can be dispensed and range portion completed.   A comparable example is the TX CHP courses run about the same and requires a range portion. 

My two cents on cost of training and cost of permit.... what is your life or your loved ones' worth?   With regards to resticted places Nebraska has simliar ones as our neighbors to the South.  A BIG exception (and one I hate here) is banks. 

To me it is a mindset in this state.  Maybe I am biased being from the South and owning a gun meant more than "I have a shotgun and I hunt pheasants and why on earth would you need an assault rifle or a concealed permit, why are you paranoid ad nauseum etc etc...."

Hehe your preaching to the choir. I have my NE CHP . I was just giving alot of the reasons that people have told me why they won't get a CHP.
As far as our southern neighbors are concerned....they may have similar restricted places but the consequences for violating those are almost nonexistent as opposed to here where they bring the hammer down on you.
In Texas for instance they have the 30.06 signs that are so large and humungous that hardly any business bothers to put them up. Those signs are the only state approved standard so if someone has a little sign with gun with red circle and slash through it it don't count under the law

[bullit]

"In Texas for instance they have the 30.06 signs that are so large and humungous that hardly any business bothers to put them up. Those signs are the only state approved standard so if someone has a little sign with gun with red circle and slash through it it don't count under the law "

Yep....and it is what should happen up here (even if it offends Amanda McGill when she goes to work at Target trying to supplement her Unicameral income).  A little history.... TX originally had a "messed up" policy like NE.  They clarified first that if someone was injured in a gun fight and was not armed due to a sign being posted said business would be found liable in a civil court.  Signs came down en masse on that point alone.  The 30-06 made things even more simple.  Alas, NE seems to be last in line in the LOGIC department e.g. Safe Haven law......

[FarmerRick]

I believe that South Dakota's requirements for a concealed carry permit are about as restrictive as it should be here in Nebraska too. 
Pay $10 and fill out your application, Sheriff does a background check, you get your permit.
http://sdsos.gov/content/viewcontent.aspx?cat=adminservices&pg=/adminservices/concealedpistolpermits.shtm

[Lorimor]

Some interesting thoughts DanClark:

"Nebraska its 8-10 hours"
For the record there is no "required" amount of time for a NE CHP course.  Depends how efficiently the required information can be dispensed and range portion completed.   A comparable example is the TX CHP courses run about the same and requires a range portion. 

My two cents on cost of training and cost of permit.... what is your life or your loved ones' worth?   With regards to resticted places Nebraska has simliar ones as our neighbors to the South.  A BIG exception (and one I hate here) is banks. 

To me it is a mindset in this state.  Maybe I am biased being from the South and owning a gun meant more than "I have a shotgun and I hunt pheasants and why on earth would you need an assault rifle or a concealed permit, why are you paranoid ad nauseum etc etc...."

"In Texas for instance they have the 30.06 signs that are so large and humungous that hardly any business bothers to put them up. Those signs are the only state approved standard so if someone has a little sign with gun with red circle and slash through it it don't count under the law "

Yep....and it is what should happen up here (even if it offends Amanda McGill when she goes to work at Target trying to supplement her Unicameral income).  A little history.... TX originally had a "messed up" policy like NE.  They clarified first that if someone was injured in a gun fight and was not armed due to a sign being posted said business would be found liable in a civil court.  Signs came down en masse on that point alone.  The 30-06 made things even more simple.  Alas, NE seems to be last in line in the LOGIC department e.g. Safe Haven law......

Amanda is qualified to work at Target?  I know she's complained about the Unicam pay in the past (but notice she's still there) so I'm not sure she could handle the rigors of a career at Target.