Concealed weapons bill signed into law

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BY NANCY HICKS / Lincoln Journal Star

Former state senator Gene Tyson of Norfolk came to the Capitol on Wednesday to help celebrate passage of a new law that will allow Nebraskans to carry a concealed weapon.

Tyson is one of several former senators who have sponsored similar measures in past years, bills that have never gotten past filibusters by opposing senators.

As he walked into the building, Tyson said he heard a voice behind him say, “If you want a hard job done well, get a woman to do it.”

That was Tyson’s tribute to Sen. Jeanne Combs of Milligan, who shepherded the conceal carry bill (LB454) past the vocal opposition and through three filibuster-stopping cloture votes.

Combs, who has carried a registered handgun while working in home health care and hospice, said that criminals prey on people who are more vulnerable, physically smaller or weaker, and people who are unarmed when the criminal is armed.

Tyson and Comb’s comments came during a Wednesday morning ceremony where Gov. Dave Heineman, flanked by about a dozen senators who supported the measure, signed the bill into law.

Heineman addressed some of his comments to Nebraskans who oppose the new law and fear the consequences.

“To my friends and neighbors who disagree, the cold, hard truth is that people who are willing to complete this process are not the sort of people who will use a weapon illegally, the governor said.

Heineman said he will not be getting a permit to carry a concealed weapon but that doesn’t diminish his support. “I don’t have any interest in doing that, but I respect the right of Nebraskans to do that,” he said.

Heineman also reiterated that people who get a permit will go through a rigorous process. They will be screened (fingerprinted and a background check), trained and tested before getting a five-year permit.

The patrol will create the permit and training process before Jan 1, 2007.

One of the big questions — whether cities will be able to ban concealed weapons within their communities — will be answered over the next eight months as the rules and regulations are being developed, according to Heineman and Col. Bryan Tuma, head of the state patrol.

The patrol and governor’s staff will be talking with the attorney general’s office as the rules are drafted, Heineman said. At least two Nebraska communities, Omaha and Kearney, already ban concealed weapons. And the new law appears to allow cities to have different regulations for concealed weapons.

“This is something the attorneys are going to have to work on,” said Tuma.

Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks@journalstar.com.