Vermont Model

Matt Farrell: What are we doing?
John McClane: It's a little thing they invented back in the Sixties call 'jogging.' You're gonna love it. Come on.
--Live Free or Die Hard

Mas Ayoob notes that New Hampshire, the 'Live Free or Die' state, recently enacted a law that allows law-abiding citizens to carry loaded, concealed handguns without a permit. This makes 12 states that permit individuals to carry with few restrictions. In addition to NH, those states include Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, Arizona, Idaho, and Alaska. Three more that allow carry with slightly more restriction are Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Montana.

Ayoob refers to permitless carry as the 'Vermont Model.' Vermont has the longest standing tradition among the states of not requiring a permit to carry a concealed gun. It has restricted carry only to certain people including convicted felons and those adjudicated as mentally incompetent.

Vermont consistently ranks among the lowest violent crime rate states in the union.