UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
Second Amendment - Bearing Arms
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
ALABAMA (AL)
Sec. 26 That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself
and the state.
ALASKA (AK)
19. Right to Keep and Bear Arms
A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
The individual right to keep and bear arms shall not be denied or infringed
by the State or a political subdivision of the State. [Amended 1994]
ARIZONA (AZ)
26. Bearing arms
Section 26. The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense
of himself or the state shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section
shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize,
maintain, or employ an armed body of men.
ARKANSAS (AR)
5. Right to bear arms
The citizens of this State have the right to keep and bear arms, for their
common defense.
CALIFORNIA (CA)
Huge constitution but nothing about arms.
COLORADO (CO)
Section 13. Right to bear arms.
The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person
and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned,
shall be called in question; but nothing herein contained shall be construed
to justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons.
CONNECTICUT (CT)
SEC. 15. Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself
and the state.
DELAWARE (DE)
20. Right to keep and bear arms.
Section 20. A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense
of self, family, home and State, and for hunting and recreational use.
FLORIDA (FL)
SECTION 8. Right to bear arms.--
(a) The right of the people to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves
and of the lawful authority of the state shall not be infringed, except
that the manner of bearing arms may be regulated by law.
(b) There shall be a mandatory period of three days, excluding weekends
and legal holidays, between the purchase and delivery at retail of any
handgun. For the purposes of this section, "purchase" means
the transfer of money or other valuable consideration to the retailer,
and "handgun" means a firearm capable of being carried and used
by one hand, such as a pistol or revolver. Holders of a concealed weapon
permit as prescribed in Florida law shall not be subject to the provisions
of this paragraph.
(c) The legislature shall enact legislation implementing subsection (b)
of this section, effective no later than December 31, 1991, which shall
provide that anyone violating the provisions of subsection (b) shall be
guilty of a felony.
(d) This restriction shall not apply to a trade in of another handgun.
GEORGIA (GA)
Paragraph VIII. Arms, right to keep and bear.
The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,
but the General Assembly shall have power to prescribe the manner in which
arms may be borne.
HAWAI (HI)
Section 17. A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of
a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not
be infringed. [Ren Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]
IDAHO (ID)
SECTION 11. RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS.
The people have the right to keep and bear arms, which right shall not
be abridged; but this provision shall not prevent the passage of laws
to govern the carrying of weapons concealed on the person nor prevent
passage of legislation providing minimum sentences for crimes committed
while in possession of a firearm, nor prevent the passage of legislation
providing penalties for the possession of firearms by a convicted felon,
nor prevent the passage of any legislation punishing the use of a firearm.
No law shall impose licensure, registration or special taxation on the
ownership or possession of firearms or ammunition. Nor shall any law permit
the confiscation of firearms, except those actually used in the commission
of a felony.
ILLINOIS (IL)
Section 22. RIGHT TO ARMS
Subject only to the police power, the right of the individual citizen
to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
INDIANA (IN)
Section 32. Arms--Right to bear
Section 32. The people shall have a right to bear arms, for the defense
of themselves and the State.
IOWA (IA)
The IOWA constitution doesn't have a section about arms..
KANSAS (KS)
4. Bear arms; armies. The people have the right to bear arms for their
defense and security; but standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous
to liberty, and shall not be tolerated, and the military shall be in strict
subordination to the civil power.
KENTUCKY (KY)
Section 1
Rights of life, liberty, worship, pursuit of safety and happiness, free
speech, acquiring and protecting property, peaceable assembly, redress
of grievances, bearing arms.
All men are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inherent and
inalienable rights, among which may be reckoned:
First: The right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties.
Second: The right of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates
of their consciences.
Third: The right of seeking and pursuing their safety and happiness.
Fourth: The right of freely communicating their thoughts and opinions.
Fifth: The right of acquiring and protecting property.
Sixth: The right of assembling together in a peaceable manner for their
common good, and of applying to those invested with the power of government
for redress of grievances or other proper purposes, by petition, address
or remonstrance.
Seventh: The right to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the State,
subject to the power of the General Assembly to enact laws to prevent
persons from carrying concealed weapons.
LOUISIANA (LA)
11. Right to Keep and Bear Arms
Section 11. The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms shall not
be abridged, but this provision shall not prevent the passage of laws
to prohibit the carrying of weapons concealed on the person.
MAINE (ME)
Section 16. To keep and bear arms. Every citizen has a right to keep and
bear arms and this right shall never be questioned.
MARYLAND (MD)
AMENDMENT II.
Right to Keep and Bear Arms
A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
MASSACHUSSETS (MA)
Article XVII. The people have a right to keep and to bear arms for the
common defence. And as, in time of peace, armies are dangerous to liberty,
they ought not to be maintained without the consent of the legislature;
and the military power shall always be held in an exact subordination
to the civil authority, and be governed by it.
MICHIGAN (MI)
6 Bearing of arms
Sec. 6. Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the defense
of himself and the state.
MINNESOTA (MN)
The MINNESOTA constitution doesn't have a section about arms.
MISSISSIPPI (MS)
Article 3, Section 12. Right to bear arms.
The right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home,
person, or property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally
summoned, shall not be called in question, but the legislature may regulate
or forbid carrying concealed weapons.
MISSOURI (MO)
Right to keep and bear arms--exception.
Section 23. That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense
of his home, person and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of
the civil power, shall not be questioned; but this shall not justify the
wearing of concealed weapons.
MONTANA (MT)
Section 12. Right to bear arms. The right of any person to keep or bear
arms in defense of his own home, person, and property, or in aid of the
civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question,
but nothing herein contained shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed
weapons.
NEBRASKA (NE)
Sec. 1. All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain
inherent and inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, the pursuit
of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense
of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting,
recreational use, and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall
not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To
secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments are instituted
among people, deriving their just powers from teh consent of the governed.
NEVADA (NV)
Sec. 11. Right to keep and bear arms; civil power supreme.
1. Every citizen has the right to keep and bear arms for security and
defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful
purposes.
2. The military shall be subordinate to the civil power; No standing army
shall be maintained by this State in time of peace, and in time of War,
no appropriation for a standing army shall be for a longer time than two
years.
NEW HAMPSHIRE (NH)
Art. 2-a. The Bearing of Arms.
All persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves,
their families, their property and the state.
NEW JERSEY (NJ)
The NEW JERSEY constitution doesn't have a section about arms.
NEW MEXICO (NM)
Art. 2. Sec. 6. No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep
and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational
use and for other lawful purposes, but nothing herein shall be held to
permit the carrying of concealed weapons.
NEW YORK (NY)
The NEW YORK constitution doesn't have a section about arms.
NORTH CAROLINA (NC)
Sec. 30. Militia and the right to bear arms.
A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed;
and, as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they
shall not be maintained, and the military shall be kept under strict subordination
to, and governed by, the civil power. Nothing herein shall justify the
practice of carrying concealed weapons, or prevent the General Assembly
from enacting penal statutes against that practice.
NORTH DAKOTA (ND)
Art. 1. Sec. 1. All individuals are by nature equally free and independent
and have certain inalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying
and defending life and liberty; acquiring, possessing and protecting property
and reputatioin; pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness; and to keep
and bear arms for the defense of their person, family, property and the
state, and for lawful hunting, recreational, and other lawful purposes,
which shall not be infringed.
OHIO (OH)
1.04 Bearing arms; standing armies; military powers (1851)
The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security;
but standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, and shall
not be kept up; and the military shall be in strict subordination to the
civil power.
OKLAHOMA (OK)
Art. 2. Sec. 26. Bearing arms - Carrying weapons.
The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person,
or property, or in aid of the civil power, when thereunto legally summoned,
shall never be prohibited; but nothing herein contained shall prevent
the Legislature from regulating the carrying of weapons.
OREGON (OR)
Art. 2. 26. Bearing arms - Carrying weapons.
The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person,
or property, or in aid of the civil power, when thereunto legally summoned,
shall never be prohibited; but nothing herein contained shall prevent
the Legislature from regulating the carrying of weapons.
PENNSYLVANIA (PA)
Art. 1. Section 21. The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense
of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.
RHODE ISLAND (RI)
Art. 1. Section 22. Right to bear arms. -- The right of the people to
keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
SOUTH CAROLINA (SC)
Art. 1. SECTION 20. Right to keep and bear arms; armies; military power
subordinate to civil authority; how soldiers quartered.
A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
As, in times of peace, armies are dangerous to liberty, they shall not
be maintained without the consent of the General Assembly. The military
power of the State shall always be held in subordination to the civil
authority and be governed by it. No soldier shall in time of peace be
quartered in any house without the consent of the owner nor in time of
war but in the manner prescribed by law.
SOUTH DAKOTA (SD)
Art. 6. Sec. 24. Right to bear arms.
The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the
state shall not be denied.
TENNESSEE (TN)
Art. 1. Sec. 26. The the citizens of this state have a right to keep and
to bear arms for their common defense; but the Legislature shall have
power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent
crime.
TEXAS (TX)
Art. 1. Sec. 23 - RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS
Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful
defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power,
by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime.
UTAH (UT)
Art. 1. Sec. 6. Right to bear arms.
The individual right of the people to keep and bear arms for security
and defense of self, family, others, property, or the state, as well as
for other lawful purposes shall not be infringed; but nothing herein shall
prevent the legislature from defining the lawful use of arms.
VERMONT (VT)
Chap. 1 Art. 16. RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS; STANDING ARMIES; MILITARY POWER SUBORDINATE
TO CIVIL
That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves
and the State - and as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous
to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should
be kept under strict subordination to and governed by the civil power.
VIRGINIA (VA)
Art. 1. Section 13. Militia; standing armies; military subordinate to
civil power.
That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained
to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed;
that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous
to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict
subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.
WASHINGTON (WA)
Art. 1. SECTION 24 RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS.
The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself,
or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this Section shall
be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain
or employ an armed body of men.
WEST VIRGINIA (WV)
Art. 3. Sec. 22. Right to keep and bear arms.
A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self,
family, home and state, and for lawful hunting and recreational use.
WISCONSIN (WI)
Art. I, Sec. 25. Right to keep and bear arms.
The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense,
hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose.
WYOMING (WY)
Title 97. Sec. 1-024. Right to bear arms.
The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the
state shall not be denied.
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