Maine passed a measure Wednesday permitting gun owners in the state to carry concealed handguns without a permit, becoming the sixth state in the U.S. with such a policy.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage signed the bill into law, confirming a victory for gun-rights advocates who argue the permits do not prevent lawbreakers from carrying weapons.
‘‘It really is a historic day in the state of Maine that this common-sense measure is finally signed into law,’’ Republican Sen. Eric Brakey, sponsor of the bill, told the Associated Press.
Current law allows Maine residents to carry a handgun without a permit so long as it is visible, but gun owners carrying concealed guns must apply for a permit. The process includes a background check, a licensing fee, and proof the gun owner can handle a firearm safely.
The Maine State Police joined supporters of the bill who contested the process as burdensome to law-abiding residents and claimed the permits failed to make the state safer.
Critics, including the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, said the permitting process is necessary because the background checks prevent dangerous felons from obtaining weapons.
Maine will join Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Vermont and Wyoming with its new policy. The law will take effect 90 days after the state legislature adjourns later this month.
