SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah bill that would allow concealed carrying of firearms without a permit prompted debate Friday among some who believe it will promote individuals' safety and others who fear it will prove deadly amid the mental health crisis.
"This is not just a left issue or right issue," bill sponsor Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George, said. "This is good data that drives good policy. ... The right to carry or protect yourself is a constitutional right."
He said studies in some of the 16 states that allow concealed carrying of firearms without a permit have shown no increase in crime. Law-abiding citizens will still seek out gun training on their own should the bill pass, according to Brooks.