SALT LAKE CITY – Just as he said he would, the Utah government, Spencer Cox, on Friday signed a bill that would allow Utah residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit.
The controversial bill was passed by the Utah Senate earlier this week.
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The law, which takes effect in May, allows anyone over the age of 21 to carry a concealed weapon without the required FBI background checks or a four-hour training course.
Cox FOX 13 said last month that it plans to sign the bill.
“With the passage of this bill, Utah joins 17 other states with some form of permissible concealed transportation,” Cox said Friday. “This bill protects the rights for the second amendment, reduces the permissible public transport (which is already legal), and provides substantial funding for suicide prevention.”
Advocates of gun rights, including the National Rifle Association, supported the bill.
“There is no reason why a law-abiding person should ask permission to carry a firearm for self-defense,” said Jason Ouimet, executive director of NRA-ILA. “The adoption of this bill shows that Utah has a commitment to protecting the rights of its citizens for the Second Amendment.”
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The new law will still allow gun owners who want a hidden land to get a permit.