Carry Permit Training in Minnesota Continues

While the Minnesota Citizens Personal Protection Act of 2003 is on hold until the Appeals Court overturns the injunction, many people are taking their carry permit training. For many, it's a good idea. For those 18-to-20, it's a window of opportunity tht's closing.

(PRWEB) December 26, 2004 -- "You know what they say: 'avoid the rush,'" Joel Rosenberg says, with a smile. Rosenberg is a certified firearms instructor, and trains people who want to get a Minnesota handgun carry permit.

Rosenberg goes on to explain that on June 13, 2003, Ramsey County Judge John Finley issued a remarkably badly-written and poorly-thought-out opinion that the Minnesota Citizens Personal Protection Act of 2003 -- the MCPPA, sometimes referred to as the "conceal and carry law" -- was unconstitutional.

"His logic, such as it is, was long and tortured -- but the gist of it is that he interpreted the Minnesota State constitutional prohibition against bills having more than one subject in a way that would invalidate most laws passed by the legislature . . . just as a way of getting rid of, temporarily, a carry reform law he doesn't like.

"Bad precedent, and it's not one that's going to stand."

For many people, this put the whole matter of getting a Minnesota state carry permit, enabling them to carry a handgun in public, in limbo: the judge ruled that no permits could be issued under the 2003 law.

"But many local sheriffs and police chiefs are being sensible, and issuing permits under the pre-2003 law," Rosenberg goes on to explain. "And, regardless, when the MCPPA goes back into effect, training conducted within one year of application will still be valid."

Rosenberg, like most other certified carry permit instructors, expects the Appeals Court's overturning of the Finley ruling will signal the start of a flurry of training and application, much as the passage of the MCPPA did, back in April of 2003.

"It was fun in the spring of 2003, granted -- but it was pretty hectic. Huge classes, long lines at the sheriffs' offices -- and some small number of instructors took advantage of the situation to set unreasonably high fees.

"My suggestion is that folks who want to get their carry permits simply take their training now, and immediately apply when the law goes back into effect."

His own class schedule is always available at http://www.twincitiescarry.com, and his website is always at or near the top of Google searches for issues around carry permit training.

"I guess," he says, "that's because I try to keep up to date, more than because I'm the only instructor in Minnesota with full combination of Instructor and Certifier endorsements from AACFI, Personal Protection, Home Firearms Safety and Pistol from the NRA, and validation as a carry permit instructor from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal apprehension.

"I hope that's the case; I think the content is more important than the 'merit badges.' Plus, I do keep adding states that my students can apply for permits in -- without having to leave Minnesota -- and most other instructors are behind the curve in that."

While getting carry permit training is probably a good idea for most Minnesotans, for some in particular, the time before the Appeals Court ruling is a window of opportunity that will close.

Due to a technicality in the judge's ruling, during this the interim, people aged 18 to 20 can, with their local sheriff's or police department's consent, get carry permits; once the MCPPA goes back into effect, permit applicants will, once again, have to be 21 or older.

"All in all," Rosenberg says, "the conventional wisdom -- avoid the rush -- is a pretty good idea."

Joel Rosenberg, author of Everything Yuu Need to Know About (Legally) Carrying a Handgun in Missouri and Everything You Need to Know About (Legally) Carrying a Handgun in Minnesota, has now upgraded his Twin Cities Carry Course to enable his students to be able to get carry permits valid in more than thirty states -- more than any other instructor in the state of Minnesota.

"And you don't have to go to any of those other states to get the appropriate permits, or take any other classes other than my Twin Cities Training Class, right here in the Twin Cities."

To get the other permits, he explains, it's necessary to take an acceptable training class, then apply, by mail, for the appropriate permits.

The cost of the class is $175, which includes a copy of Everything You Need to Know About (Legally) Carrying a Handgun in Minnesota. A downloadable PDF of introduction to the book is available, online, at http://www.howtogetthebook.com or http://www.ellegon.com/thebook.pdf.

Previous graduates of Rosenberg's Twin Cities Carry Course are entitled to retake the course as an upgrade at a reduced fee.

"Besides," he said with a grin, "it's good to keep your training up to date anyway. It's a serious thing, and we don't stint on going into how serious is it -- but I hope the class is also fun."

Rosenberg is certified by the National Rifle Association as an instructor in Pistol, Home Firearms Safety, and Personal Protection, and by the American Association of Certified Firearms Instructors as a Carry Permit Instructor and Carry Permit Certifying Instructor, and has been validated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension as a Minnesota Carry Permit Instructor, making him the only instructor in the state of Minnesota with that extensive list of qualifications. He's also been certified by the NRA as a Certified Range Officer (CRO).

In addition to his work as a firearms instructor, Rosenberg is a best-selling author, with more than twenty published novels to his credit, including eight in the bestselling Guardians of the Flame Fantasy series; Home Front and Family Matters, two murder mysteries, and Paladins, published by Baen Books in September 2004.

He's writes frequently on issues around carry permit training issues, and maintains an online journal on the subject at http://www.joel-rosenberg.com, in addition to his carry permit website at http://www.twincitiescarry.com.

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