60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft reports on The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill moving through Congress that could make state-issued concealed carry permits recognized nationwide. The piece of legislation (already passed by the House) “would make gun permits like driver’s licenses,” says Kroft. The idea is: If you’re allowed to carry a handgun on a farm in Wyoming, you can carry one on 42nd Street in New York City. As of today, New York State does not honor permits from other states.
Getting a permit in New York City without “some kind of hardcore need” is nearly impossible, said Tom King of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association. “Unless you’re a politician, celebrity or very, very wealthy.” The New York Times reported in 2017 that 41,162 people have licenses to possess firearms in New York City; and “fewer than 2,500 people have full carry permits, which allow them to carry a handgun around the city anywhere they are permitted.” As of now, the application process to get a firearms license in New York can take a minimum of four months and requires an applicant to provide a criminal history, mental health history, and character references, among other things. 60 Minutes airs Sundays at 7pm on CBS.
