Montana Legislation put forward to make all of the state like Alaska and Vermont

In virtually all of Montana one is allowed to carry a concealed handgun without a permit (essentially over 98 percent of the case). This legislation would make it true in the other 2 percent. Law-enforcement is upset about the Castle Doctrine provisions.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Krayton Kerns, R-Laurel, is almost identical to a bill carried by then-Rep. Jack Wells, R-Bozeman, in the 2007 session.

If passed, the bill would, among other things:

= allow people to carry a concealed weapon without a permit;

= greatly strengthen self-defense protections in the state;

= allow people to display their gun to deter an attack;

= allow people to use a gun whenever at risk of physical harm;

= and, in shooting incidents in which the person who fired the gun claimed self defense, require the state to prove that it was not. . . . .