Is this the wild, wild West that Will Smith tried to warn us about?
Many Okies love celebrating their cowboy heritage, whether it’s by donning a glossy new pair of boots or enjoying a medium-rare steak dinner in the historic Stockyards City district.
At least one state legislator is still pushing to move Oklahoma’s John Wayne parallels another step forward.
Rep. Jeff Coody, R-Grandfield, authored a bill that would allow anyone over 21 in the state without a felony conviction to openly carry a firearm without a background check or any required training.
Yee-haw!
As of Chicken-Fried News press time, the bill sits in conference committee, awaiting the collection of the required seven legislator signatures before heading back to a vote on the House floor.
If the bill is approved by the Legislature, Gov. Mary Fallin would have to sign it for it to become law.
Oklahomans might love cowboy culture, but there is more than a little opposition to the bill from outside the Capitol.
We recently updated readers about community organizations, including Oklahoma City Thunder and local businesses, fighting the bill.
This month, Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty also voiced his concern, saying the bill “doesn’t make much sense” and that strapping guns to the hips of untrained civilians would put his officers and others at increased risk.
Print headline: Quick draw
