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

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - There are few places where you can’t carry firearms in North Dakota, but that list isn’t going to shrink this legislative session.

There were six bills introduced this session that would have expanded concealed carry in North Dakota, but none of them passed the House on Monday afternoon. Rather, they were all rolled into one and passed as a study.

The bills that didn’t pass in their original form would’ve allowed concealed carry at public gatherings, including in public schools, on college campuses, in bars, and at the State Capitol. The goal of the study is to determine where concealed carry can be expanded, with the goal of introducing legislation in the 2025 session.

“This is a Supreme Court ruling that came down in 2022. We have to look at historical data nationwide to identify where we can carry concealed, where we cannot carry concealed, and it has to be identified in the historical data,” said Representative Pat Heinert, R-Bismarck.

Two more bills would’ve prohibited any entity from instituting red flag laws and would’ve expanded where people can carry knives.

The House also passed three more gun-related bills. One of them, House Bill 1339, would allow people who have concealed carry permits in other states to carry in North Dakota. It passed unanimously. Now they head to the Senate.

Previous Coverage: ND lawmakers consider bills to expand gun rights