Massie's National Constitutional Carry Act has two main provisions. One would prohibit all states from imposing penalties on individuals carrying firearms in public. The second would invalidate any existing state or local law that penalizes or otherwise dissuades the carrying of firearms in public.
Massie made the case for the legislation in a hearing last week.
"Twenty-nine states now recognize that the right to keep and bear arms should not require permission from your government," he said. "And so they have permitless carry. I have advanced a bill... that would extend that to all 50 states and the territories."
The congressman argued the bill is a natural extension of the Second Amendment.
Massie went on to press for other related legislation. One piece would repeal the Gun Free School Zone Act, which he said advertises to would-be shooters that schools are "sitting ducks." A second would allow 18- to 21-year-olds to buy handguns from federally-licensed dealers, on the argument that individuals that fall into that group be called upon to defend the country through a military draft but in some cases cannot acquire a personal weapon. A third bill — which has garnered bipartisan support — deals with publishing data surrounding how many gun purchases have been denied.
Massie said the current rules are sloppy and often lead to mistaken identity, especially in the case of minority buyers.
"You're probably twice as likely if you're Hispanic to be falsely denied the purchase of a handgun and three times as likely if you're Black to be denied the purchase of a gun at a dealer," he said.
That new proposal coming up in the House would require the Department of Justice to publish the data, without specific names, but by sex, race, or ethnicity.