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(Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
A bill to end the requirement for a permit to carry a concealed handgun will be the subject of a public hearing Wednesday morning at the State Capitol.
The bill by Rep. Isaac Whorton, R-Valley, is nearly identical to one that passed the Senate last week with almost unanimous Republican support and unanimous Democratic opposition.
Some law enforcement officials have spoken out against the proposal.
Gun owners could still buy permits from their county sheriffs to carry a concealed pistol but would not be required to do so.
Whorton said he expected his bill would be amended to make it identical to the Senate version, which is by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa.
Under Allen's bill, the prohibition against having a gun at a public demonstration would remain in place.
The House Public Safety Committee will hold the hearing at 9 a.m. in the Capitol Auditorium, which is on the Union Street side of the Capitol.
Some members of the committee are former or current law enforcement officers.
Whorton said he expects a close vote in the committee.
Whorton said it would still be illegal for felons and people convicted of domestic violence to carry guns.
"This bill applies to citizens who are lawfully armed and would simply make the permit voluntary instead of mandated by law," Whorton said in an email.
Whorton said he believes many gun owners would continue to buy permits because they want to be able to carry a concealed handgun in other states that recognize Alabama's law.
Democrats who opposed the bill in the Senate, in addition to raising public safety concerns, said Republicans were trying to "rebrand" themselves in the wake of scandals that have led to the ouster of the former House speaker, governor and chief justice.
Allen, the Senate sponsor, said people should not have to buy a permit to exercise their Second Amendment rights.