Gun on the floor: Mississippi lawmaker displays pistol to protest legislation

A Mississippi lawmaker displayed his handgun and concealed carry permit at the House floor podium Thursday, then was escorted from the chamber — at his own request — to protest a gun-rights bill that has drawn fire from university leaders and the Southeastern Conference.

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But a majority of the House voted (80-33) to table a holding motion on House Bill 1083, sending it on to the Senate over protests that it could endanger students, sports programs and fans.

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Rep. Charles Young Jr., D-Meridian, told his colleagues "let's grow up," arguing for the House to amend or kill the bill the House passed Wednesday. To make his point, he displayed his FN pistol and his enhanced concealed carry permit. He told House Speaker Philip Gunn that he and others are violating a joint legislative rule that says no one but sworn law enforcement can carry a gun in the Capitol or House or Senate chambers.

Young cited legislative Joint Rule 37, then cited a recent Supreme Court ruling on a lawsuit against Speaker Philip Gunn saying legislative rules can "supersede state law." He then told the speaker he didn't feel safe with lawmakers having concealed weapons in the House and asked they be escorted out.

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"Are you asking me to have you escorted out by the sergeant at arms, gentleman?" asked Gunn, who said he was unaware of the joint rule or any other lawmakers who carry weapons — which drew guffaws from House members, many of whom are known to be well armed.

Young said he wanted the rule enforced. Gunn said, "If that's what you're asking ... We can have you escorted out." The sergeant at arms escorted him out and took his weapon (which Young later said was unloaded).

Young later chatted with people in the Capitol Rotunda, and said he hadn't decided if, or when he would return to the House chamber Thursday and said the sergeant at arms was still holding his pistol. Young also noted the House sergeant at arms and his security staff, per House rules, are not allowed to carry guns (the Senate sergeant at arms is allowed to).

The House gunplay Thursday was prompted by Wednesday's passage of HB 1083, authored by Judiciary Chairman Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, who has in recent years successfully championed gun rights legislation. Mississippi now has some of the strongest gun rights laws in the nation, including measures to allow open carry in public, concealed carry without a permit and — for those with an enhanced carry permit — carry in areas otherwise prohibited such as on university campuses, in courthouses and, according to Gipson, the Capitol.

Gipson's bill would allow people with enhanced concealed carry permits to file a complaint with the attorney general's office and more easily sue if they believe a public agency has a gun ban or other policy in violation of new gun-rights law. Apparently, the Legislature has a policy in violation of the new law with its joint rule against guns in the Capitol.

Gipson's measure drew swift protests from state university leaders and the SEC, who have policies against guns being brought into football and other sporting events. They warned that the new measure could endanger students and fans, and even impact conference football programs. Universities have also declared dorm rooms, classrooms and other areas on campus off limits to guns.

Gipson argues that enhanced permit holders since passage of a 2011 law have been allowed to carry at sports games and on university campuses.

Gipson in a Facebook post wondered whether the "deep state" is at play with the opposition to his bill.

"Someone in the higher echelons of state bureaucracy is coordinating or attempting to coordinate a partial repeal of our state gun laws by veiled threats such as this," Gipson wrote. "... Is this evidence of the "deep state" manipulating and working against the people?"

The National Rifle Association - Institute for Legislative Action on Thursday commended Gipson's bill and urged people to call state senators and voice support.

"HB1083 upholds the original intent of Mississippi's enhanced carry permit law and establishes a process for law-abiding citizens to challenge state entities that have wrongly excluded enhanced permit holders," NRA-ILA said in a statement. "... (The enhanced carry law) was supposed to eliminate 'gun free' zones ... including locations which have proven to be soft targets for criminals and perpetrators of mass shootings.

"But over the years, state and local governmental entities have thumbed their nose at the Legislature and continue to impose restrictions on trained, law-abiding enhanced carry permit holders."

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves' spokeswoman said the Senate will "give full consideration" to Gipson's bill, and "Lt. Gov. Reeves has been a champion for protecting Mississippians' Second Amendment Rights, and his views haven't changed."