The Oklahoma House passed a measure that would allow citizens to carry a firearm without a permit.

“This bill solidifies the Second Amendment rights of Oklahomans while protecting private property rights,” said House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka. “We worked with private businesses, schools and college campuses to ensure that their rights are protected.”

House Bill 2597, by state Rep. Jon Echols, would allow anyone age 21 or over to carry a firearm without a permit. It would permit veterans and active duty and reserve military personnel age 18 or over to carry without a permit.

“Oklahoma has long had permitless carry, but only for citizens visiting from one of those surrounding states that allow it,” said Rep. Echols, R-Oklahoma City. “I am excited to give our citizens the same rights and trust that we have afforded those visitors for so many years.”

The measure would prohibit felons and those with domestic violence convictions or who have been adjudicated as having a mental illness from carrying a firearm. The bill does not affect current federal law requiring a background check for the in-store purchase of a firearm.

In places where carrying a firearm is currently prohibited, the bill allows those private property owners and college campuses to continue to set their own policies regarding the carrying of firearms on those premises.

There are 15 states that currently allow some form of permitless carry, including Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.

House Bill 2597 passed out of the House by a vote of 70-30 and now heads to the Senate for consideration. There is a similar bill in the Senate by Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow.