The right to keep and bear arms, as follows.
Does your state protect it?
IF not, WHY not?
ALABAMA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
(Article I of the 1901 Constitution of Alabama)
As amended through 1966
ARTICLE I.
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 26 That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself
and the state.
ALASKA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Article I of the 1959 Constitution of
Alaska As amended to 1974
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 19 A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of
a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms
shall not be infringed.
ARIZONA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
(Article II of the 1912 Constitution of Arizona As
revised to January, 1975)
ARTICLE II
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 26. The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in
defense of himself or the State shall not be impaired, but
nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing
individuals or corporations to organize, maintain, or employ
an armed body of men.
ARKANSAS DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
(Article II of the 1874 Constitution ofArkansas)
As amended to 1975
ARTICLE II
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 5. The citizens of this state shall have the right to keep
and bear arms for their common defense.
CALIFORNIA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
(1849)
[NONE]
COLORADO BILL OF RIGHTS
(Article II of the 1876 Constitution of Colorado)
As revised to 1975
ARTICLE II
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 13. The right of no person to keep and bear arms in
defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil
power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called in
question; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to
justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
ARTICLE FIRST
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 2. All political power is inherent in the people, and all
free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted
for their benefit; and they have at all times an undeniable and
indefeasible right to alter their form of government in such
manner as they may think expedient.
Sec. 15. Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of
himself and the state.
DELAWARE BILL OF RIGHTS
(Article I of the 1897 Constitution of Delaware)
As amended to 1974
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
(as revised in 1968 and amended to 1975)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 8. The right of the people to keep and bear arms in defense of
themselves and of the lawful authority of the state shall
not be infringed, except that the manner of bearing arms may
be regulated by law.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA
(ratified 1945)
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
SECTION I
Par. 22 The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be
infringed, but the General Assembly shall have power to
prescribe the manner in which arms may be borne.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII
(as amended to 1968)
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 15. A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of
a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms
shall not be infringed.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
(As amended to 1975)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 11. The people shall have the right to bear arms for their
security and defense; but the legislature shall regulate
the exercise of this right by law.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
(as amended to 1970)
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 22. Subject only to the police power, the right of the
individual citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA
(as amended to 1972)
ARTICLE 1
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 32. The people shall have a right to bear arms, for the defense
of themselves and the State.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF KANSAS
(as amended to 1975)
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 4. The people have the right to bear arms for their
defense and security; but standing armies, in time of peace, are
dangerous to liberty, and shall not be tolerated, and the
military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY
(as amended to 1980)
BILL OF RIGHTS
That the great and essential principles of liberty and
free government may be recognized and established, we declare
that:
Sec. 1. Rights of life, liberty, worship, pursuit of safety and
happiness, free speech, acquiring and protecting property,
peaceable assembly, redress of grievances, bearing arms. All
men are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inherent
and inalienable rights, among which may be reckoned:
Seventh: The right to bear arms in defense of themselves and
of the State, subject to the power of the General Assembly to
enact laws to prevent persons from carrying concealed weapons.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF LOUISIANA
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 11. The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms shall
not be abridged, but this provision shall not prevent the
passage of laws to prohibit the carrying of weapons concealed on
the person.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE
(as amended to Jan. 1, 1973)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 16. Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms for the
common defence; and this right shall never be questioned.
CONSTITUTION OF MARYLAND
1867
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTES
PART THE FIRST
A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE
INHABITANTS OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTES.
Sec. 17. The people have a right to keep and to bear arms
for the common defence. And as, in time of peace, armies
are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be maintained
without the consent of the Legislature; and the military
power shall always be held in an exact subordination to the
Civil authority, and be governed by it.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
(As amended to 1972)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 6. Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the
defense of himself and the state.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA
(as amended to 1974)
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
(Adopted Nov. 1, A.D., 1890)
ARTICLE 3
BILL OF RIGHTS
[NOTE: There is no sections 1-4 of article 3]
Sec. 12. The right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in
defense of his home, person, or property, or in aid of the
civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called
in question, but the legislature may regulate or forbid carrying
concealed weapons.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI
(as revised to 1974)
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 23. That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in
defense of his home, person and property, or when lawfully
summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned;
but this shall not justify the wearing of concealed weapons.
CONSTITUTION OF THE
STATE OF MONTANA
(As ratified to 1972)
ARTICLE II
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 12. The right of any person to keep or bear arms in defense of
his own home, person, and property, or in aid of the civil
power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in
question, but nothing herein contained shall be held to
permit the carrying of concealed weapons.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF NEBRASKA
of 1875
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION of the STATE OF NEVADA
(as amended to 1974)
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
(as amended to 1980)
PART FIRST
BILL OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE
OF NEW JERSEY
(As amended to Jan. 1, 1975)
ARTICLE I
RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION OF THE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO
ADOPTED JANUARY 21, 1911
(AS AMENDED THROUGH 1974)
ARTICLE II
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 6. No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep and
bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and
recreational use and for other lawful purposes, but nothing
herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed
weapons.
NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION
(AS AMENDED AND IN FORCE JAN. 1, 1985)
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE
OF NORTH CAROLINA
(as amended to 1975)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 30. A well regulated militia being necessary to the
security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and
bear arms shall not be infringed; and, as standing armies in
time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they shall not be
maintained, and the military shall be kept under strict
subordination to, and governed by, the civil power. Nothing
herein shall justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons,
or prevent the General Assembly from enacting statues against
that practice.
THE CONSTITUTION of the STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA
(as amended to 1973)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF OHIO
(as amended to 1974)
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 4. The people have the right to bear arms for their
defence and security; but standing armies, in time of peace, are
dangerous to liberty, and shall not be kept up; and the
military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
Adopted in Convention at Guthrie, July 16, 1907.
Ratified Sept. 17, 1907. In force Nov. 16, 1907.
With Amendments to January 1,1975
ARTICLE II
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 26. The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms in defence of
his home, person, or property, or in aid of the civil power,
where thereunto legally summoned, shall never be prohibited;
but nothing herein contained shall prevent the Legislature
from regulating the carrying of weapons.
CONSTITUTION
of the
STATE OF OREGON
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 27. The people shall have the right to bear arms for the defence
(sic) of themselves, and the State, but the military shall
be kept in strict subordination to the civil power [.]
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 21. The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of
themselves and the State shall not be questioned.
CONSTITUTION OF THE
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 22. The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be
infringed.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
(as revised to 1981)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 20. A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of
a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms
shall not be infringed. As, in times of peace, armies are
dangerous to liberty, they shall not be maintained without
the consent of the General Assembly. The military power of
the State shall always be held in subordination to the civil
authority and be governed by it. No soldier shall in time
of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of
the owner nor in time of war but in a manner prescribed by
law.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA
(as amended to 1975)
ARTICLE VI
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 24. The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves
and the state shall not be denied.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF TENNESSEE
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 26. That the citizens of this State have a right to keep and to
bear arms for the common defense; but the legislature shall
have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a
view to prevent crime.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF TEXAS
(as amended to Aug. 1969)
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 23. Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear
arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the
Legislature shall have power: by law, to regulate the wearing of
arms, with a view to prevent crime.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF UTAH
(as amended to 1973)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 6. The people have the right to bear arms for their security
and defense, but the Legislature may regulate the exercise
of this right by law.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF VERMONT
A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE
STATE OF VERMONT
Art. 16th That the people have a right to bear arms for the
defence of themselves and the State and as standing armies in
time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be
kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict
subordination to and governed by the civil power.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF VIRGINIA
ARTICLE I
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 13. That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the
people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe
defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people
to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing
armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to
liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under
strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA
ARTICLE III
BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 12. Standing armies, in time of peace, should be
avoided as dangerous to liberty. The military shall be
subordinate to the civil power; and no citizen, unless engaged
in the military service of the State, shall be tried or punished
by any military court, for any offence that is cognizable by
the civil courts of the State. No soldier shall, in time of
peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the
owner; nor in time of war, except in the manner to be
prescribed by law.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 24. The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in
defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but
nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing
individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ
an armed body of men.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN
(as amended to 1975)
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
[NONE]
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF WYOMING
ARTICLE 1
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Sec. 24. The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of
themselves and the state shall not be denied.