Open carry in Moscow, ID

[laurel]

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Wow, stupid me! I was under the impression that government employees, you know, work for ME, the taxpayer. Wrong!

In the USPS mail today:

August 29, 2006

Dear Miss Zimmer:

Thank you for your recent letter to the Attorney General requesting an opinion regarding your legal right to open carry a handgun on a university campus, specifically the University of Idaho Campus.

The Attorney General by law is required to give legal opinions in writing to the Legislature, the Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, State Controller, and the trustees or commissioners of state institutions, when required, upon any question of law relating to their respective offices.

The Attorney General by law cannot provide the research and legal opinion you have requested. You may wish to consult your own private attorney to advise you of your legal rights.

Sincerely,

KRISS BIVENS CLOYD
Constituent Information Specialist

Wow, now THAT was helpful. My project for this Labor Day weekend will now to be to draft letters to my legislators, demanding that THEY seek this information from the A.G. on my behalf. If that doesn't work, I'll write the Governor next. A friend's dad is also a lawyer, I may hit him up to see if he can help me out.

Now, I'm going to go do this: :banghead: in the name of bureaucracy. Everyone have a good weekend!

Laurel

 

[IdahoCorsair]

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Laurel, I have some 'connections' down here in Boise... politically related ones, and I'll see what I can do. I make no promises about the timelyness of the info, but I promise I'll do what I can to get something in writing.

Oh, crud. I forgot. Am I correct in saying that you want your CWP? But have to open carry in the mean time? If so, please go to the State of Maine's website and request an application for their non-resident permit... it can be done all via the mail system and required no fingerprints, though it does do a FBI background check. Idaho respects ALL states permits. Idaho does issue to 18-21 year olds on a case by case basis, and there is no statute in Idaho law saying that Idaho only respects other state's permits as long as they are 21 or over (some states do spell it out). My bro... the same one open carrying on BSU, has used his Maine non-resident permit several times and while LE gives you flak over it, they know they can't do anything about it. It only takes about a month or less to get approved and permit sent back to you. You MUST keep it ON YOUR PERSON while carrying concealed if it's an out of state permit. It's proven and it works and it's legal! Enjoy!

Hope this is helpful and not overly confusing.

BTW, VERY ARTICULATE and well written piece in the arbiter's online forum. thanks again!

Idaho

 

[laurel]

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Idaho,

Sounds good. I have been involved with the GOP locally for a few years now and plan to start with pestering the legislators who (should) know me by name... Hopefully between the two of us we can get some information.

I am unsure whether or not I'll be getting my CCW or not. Two of the states I'm concerned about being able to carry in, California and Washington, recognize neither Idaho nor Maine CCW. Kind of makes it pointless, since I OC here in Idaho anyway... The only real benefit I see at this point is not having to do a background check every time I purchase a firearm. That would be nice, but other than that... :?

So no, I would not say that I'm aiming for a CCW at this point. It was my original intent, before embarking on my OC adventures, as it just seemed like the "thing to do." Now that I comfortably OC, I'm not really concerned with CCW.

Anyway, Idaho, I'm going to PM you with my email address in case you'd like to get ahold of me off-board. I try to keep my dealings with public officials as open as possible, hence why I posted my letter from the A.G., but I also try to moderate my blabbermouthing when I haven't even yet contacted the big-wigs. If you'd like to discuss who is being written to/called and such, email may be the way to do it.

As always, I'll post any big updates here as soon as I get them.

Laurel

 

[norahc]

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laurel wrote:

I am unsure whether or not I'll be getting my CCW or not. Two of the states I'm concerned about being able to carry in, California and Washington, recognize neither Idaho nor Maine CCW. Kind of makes it pointless, since I OC here in Idaho anyway... The only real benefit I see at this point is not having to do a background check every time I purchase a firearm. That would be nice, but other than that... :?

Laurel

But getting a Washington Non-Res CHL is so easy. Fill out the form, and go to any police station in WA for your fingerprinting. Then pay your money and wait about 45 days. That's it.

 

[laurel]

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Thanks for the info on WA - unfortunately, it puts me back at square one for at least the four months, since WA doesn't wish to recognize me as a citizen with rights until I turn 21. :lol:

It is definitely something I will check out at that point, though, as I live about three miles from the WA border and sure would like to be able to carry over there, too.

Laurel

 

[norahc]

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laurel wrote:

Thanks for the info on WA - unfortunately, it puts me back at square one for at least the four months, since WA doesn't wish to recognize me as a citizen with rights until I turn 21. :lol:

It is definitely something I will check out at that point, though, as I live about three miles from the WA border and sure would like to be able to carry over there, too.

Laurel

Here's a link that may be of some help...

http://www.packing.org/state/washington/

Four months isn't too long to wait if you've already waited 20+ years.

 

[patrioticrick]

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laurel wrote:

Well, my boyfriend (Mike) and used this site extensively as we embarked on our quest to open carry, so when I saw there were no stories for Idaho I figured it was my duty to share mine.

We have been OCing around Moscow, ID for a couple months now. I have a Springfield XD-40 Sub-Compact that I carry in a kydex hip holster, and he has a Beretta 96 .40 that he also carries on his hip.

So far we really haven't run into any problems. We checked and double-checked online resources that told us where we could and couldn't go (pretty basic in Idaho, really, no bars, schools, the usual) and talked to a few LEO's to make sure. (No resistance there, they just had the "WHY would you want to do that?!" or "Why don't you just get a CCW?" attitude.)

I've only been asked about the gun once. Well, technically twice. The first time, I was in the grocery store and ran into a guy Mike works with. We were chatting and he glanced down at my hip and saw the XD. His eyes got wide and he half-yelled "WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT!?" I was kind of concerned that he was going to call attention to me with such a reaction, but nobody really responded. It was at this point that I realized explaining OC reasons to someone I know is in many ways harder than explaining it to someone I don't know. Someone I don't know can make a lot of assumptions (like maybe I was attacked in the past) that helps to rationalize away any discomfort. Someone who knows me better is just wondering what in the heck the Laurel they know is doing with a gun! Anyway, I ran through a list of reasons (being a local, he gave me the whole "You're totally not going to run into violent crime here" argument) and had a bit of banter back and forth. He asked if I had a "gun permit" and I explained that I don't need one. I learned that he had been shooting once and nobody had explained to him the mechanics of a double-action trigger. He thought something was wrong with the gun after firing once, and aimed it in an unsafe direction as he pulled the trigger again. Apparently he "almost shot somebody" and is thereby uncomfortable with guns. I just smiled and explained that I've never almost shot anybody and am not uncomfortable with guns, so I guess we're okay.

My real first question from a stranger, ironically, came just a few minutes later as I was checking out of the same grocery store. I was bagging my groceries and I heard a voice beside me say "Are you a cop?" I looked over to see a guy who was probably in his late twenties looking inquisitive, but not alarmed. I explained no, I carry in self-defense. He said "Well, that's not something you see every day in the grocery store!" and I agreed, then said "But I'd like to change that." We had a short conversation and walked out together as I talked about raising awareness about firearms and trying to change the negative ideas about gun owners and OCers. He later said "Yeah, I'm getting one myself, for my job" (I assume by "one" he meant a pistol) and when I asked what he did, he said "I'm a pilot, we carry them on the flight line." I didn't find out more than that but all in all he was very polite and didn't seem troubled by my OCing at all.

So - that's really the extent of it so far. I'm going on a trip with my mother late in September and provided I can get my handgun to the airport in the first place (some problems with WA laws, I'll probably post about that elsewhere) I will get the opportunity to OC through UT, WY, and maybe a bit of CO. This site has been an excellent resource as I check into which places respect my RKBA and to what extent - I look forward to sharing more stories (hopefully all positive) as they come up!

Laurel

Just a little information, places off limits while carrying in Idaho: Jails(juv & adult), Court houses, and Schoolsand must be unloaded and out of site in State parks. No where does it state Bars are off limits. Also in Utah you must have permit to open carry orconceal.

 

[LoveMyCountry]

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patrioticrick wrote:

Just a little information, places off limits while carrying in Idaho: Jails(juv & adult), Court houses, Police stations and Schoolsand must be unloaded and out of site in State parks. No where does it state Bars are off limits. Also in Utah you must have permit to open carry orconceal.

Are you sure about Police Stations being off limits in Idaho?

TITLE 18
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
CHAPTER 33
FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND
OTHER DEADLY WEAPONS
18-3302C. PROHIBITED CONDUCT. Any person obtaining a license under the
provisions of section 18-3302, Idaho Code, shall not:
(1) Carry a concealed weapon in a courthouse, juvenile detention facility
or jail, public or private school, except as provided in subsection (4)(f) of
section 18-3302D, Idaho Code; or
(2) Provide information on the application for a permit to carry a
concealed weapon knowing the same to be untrue. Any person violating the
provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

http://www.packing.org/state/idaho/
You can carry openly anywhere in Idaho without a permit that a person with a permit can carry concealed. Do remember that open carry will get the attention of some police officers and civilians. Do use good judgment.



LoveMyCountry

 

[patrioticrick]

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Maybe not all police stations, only if they have Jail facilities in them, which is most police stations.

 

[LoveMyCountry]

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Usually the jail is a separate facility, even if it is in the same building. Whole 'nother set of rules once you go in there.:what:



LoveMyCountry

 

[patrioticrick]

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Better safe, than sorry.

 

[Allen]

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Hi everyone.

Just a little bit on the idea that the Courts of Idaho can disarm us.

One of the things that I've noticed in the last few years, is that more and more of our courts are posting notices that the open carry of guns are prohibited. They are relying upon their own interpretation of Idaho Code 1-1603(3) which says:

Every Court has power:
3. To provide for the orderly conduct of proceedings before it or its officers.

To my knowledge, it has not been challenged... And I don't have the time or money to do so! I know this started over in Ada County and has now reached Cassia and Minidoka Counties. Who knows where else it has been! (The lower courts really hate In Re Brickey)

 

[devldogs55]

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Hey Laurel,

I also live in Moscow, and go to UofI. It is technically not illegal to carry there actually.. you'll just most likely get kicked out if you do... That comes from my lawyer.

It's better to be expelled then dead. We just had an aggrevated assault on campus about a month or so ago. Gun and knife point.
I've had a lot of good experiences OCing, but I usually CC.

I worked in the sporting goods dept at Tri State for the last year and a half.. and I had a lot of people tell me it was dumb to carry a weapon in Moscow... I said "If it's between you and me.. I'm goin home." Nuff said.

 

[QuietMan]

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Regarding where in Idaho you cannot carry, Gov Kempthorne signed an executive order declaring the state capital mallarea a gun free zone. I assume this has the force of law.

http://gov.idaho.gov/mediacenter/execorders/eo04/eo_2004-07.htm