WYOMING Reciprocity in jeopardy for many states

**BCI Instructor** · February 18th, 2009, 08:31 PM

As posted on another site today ... emphasis = mine

State of Wyoming Dave Freudenthal, Governor
Office of the Attorney General
Division of Criminal Investigation Bruce A. Salzburg
Forrest C. Bright, Director Attorney General

MEMORANDUM

TO: All Wyoming Sheriffs
All Wyoming Chiefs of Police

FROM: Forrest C. Bright, Director

DATE: February 12, 2009

RE: Concealed Firearm Permit Reciprocity

I am writing to let all the agencies in Wyoming know of substantial changes resulting from review of other states’ concealed firearm criteria. The Wyoming Attorney General’s Office recently completed examination of the other 49 states statutes for the purpose of honoring concealed firearms permits issued by another state, or reciprocity.

Pursuant to Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-8-401(a)(iii), Wyoming will recognize a permit from another state that “has laws similar to the provisions of this section, as determined by the attorney general . . ..” The Wyoming Attorney General has determined that with the exception of 8 states, presently all the others concealed firearm permit statutes are not sufficiently similar to Wyoming’s. Specifically, Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-8-104(b)(v) prohibits issuance of a permit to any person who has been convicted of a controlled substance violation, felony or misdemeanor in any jurisdiction. Most other states’ analogous statutes do not.

The Wyoming Attorney General holds that if a misdemeanor drug conviction disqualifies a Wyoming resident, is also needs to disqualify an out-of-state permit holder. Due to the difference in how each state handles controlled substance convictions, Wyoming is also limited in our ability to maintain reciprocity with states we may have previously.

Accordingly, as of March 1, 2009, Wyoming can only honor concealed firearm permits issued by the following states: Connecticut, Ohio, Georgia, Oklahoma, Maryland, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Utah.

Highlighted in BOLD RED are the 3 states of the 8 listed through which most folks would commonly pursue a Non-Resident Permit by mail and thus still be able to carry in Wyoming if not already in possession of a permit issued by the 8 listed states.

Most notably, Pennsylvania LTCF's, Florida CWP's and New Hampshire Pistol Permits may no longer be recognized.

(PS - "residency" is not a factor with Wyoming, both resident and non-resident permit holders may carry on any permit WY recognizes)

Info as posted on the Wyoming Attorney General's website:

http://attorneygeneral.state.wy.us/dci/CWP.html