PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Senate has given preliminary approval to legislation that would make Arizona the third state allowing people to carry concealed weapons without a permit.
The Senate approved the measure in a voice vote on Tuesday. Preliminary approval sets the stage for a formal vote in the Senate. Passage would send it to the House.
The measure would make it legal for U.S. citizens 21 or older to carry concealed weapons in Arizona without permits now required.
Currently, carrying a concealed weapon in the state without a permit is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
By eliminating the permit requirement, Arizonans no longer would have to undergo background checks and take training classes to carry hidden guns.
