Petition Signatures Against Permitless Carry Won't Be Counted Until Okla. Supreme Court Weighs In

The fate of permitless carry is up in the air.

Thursday, August 29th 2019, 9:45 pm

By: Bonnie Campo

Petition Signatures Against Permitless Carry Won't Be Counted Until Okla. Supreme Court Weighs In

The fate of permitless carry is up in the air. Thursday, thousands of signatures in a referendum petition initiated by Rep. Jason Lowe (D) of District 97 were submitted to the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s Office.

The petition aims to put the law, originally passed by the state legislature earlier this year, to a vote of the people instead.

However, staff working for the Secretary of State confirmed that they won't count those signatures until the Oklahoma Supreme Court weighs in.

They said that’s due to the fact that the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association (OK2A) filed a protest to the petition earlier this week. They said rather than waste taxpayer dollars by counting the signatures, they will wait to see what the court decides.

However, that could be weeks from now.

Rep. Lowe needed just under 60,000 signatures to put the law on the upcoming ballot.

It’s not clear if he hit that mark. He said his team was able to collect a sizable amount in just two weeks.

“We do know that tens of thousands of Oklahomans in the state has signed these petitions, and their voices are being heard,” said Rep. Lowe. “This has not been about if we are taking away someone's guns, or anything like that. What this was about was the right to vote. We want the people the people in the state of Oklahoma to make this decision.”

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However, OK2A said they are optimistic that permitless carry will take effect on November 1. It would allow many people, 21 and older, to carry a firearm.

OK2A has accused Lowe’s team of impurely gathering signatures, citing six issues.

“It states it could carry on a college campus, which is completely inaccurate, which is the opposite of what the bill says,” Spencer said. “I am not worried because we are going to get our right back, one way or another.”

OK2A said they were not expecting this delay, but they don’t believe it will change much.

Meanwhile, Lowe’s team said no matter what this is not the end of their work.

They said they will continue to advocate for common sense gun laws.

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However, OK2A said they are optimistic that permitless carry will take effect on November 1. It would allow many people, 21 and older, to carry a firearm.

OK2A has accused Lowe’s team of impurely gathering signatures, citing six issues.

OK2A said they were not expecting this delay, but they don’t believe it will change much.

Meanwhile, Lowe’s team said no matter what this is not the end of their work.

They said they will continue to advocate for common sense gun laws.

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