On Thursday, Governor Greg Gianforte (R) signed HB 102 into law.
As the language of the bill explicitly acknowledges in section 3, so-called gun-free zones actually jeopardize people’s safety by increasing their reliance on the state to provide protection which it is not able to provide. Consequently, the bill reduces the number of these dangerous locations in Montana, where people were previously required by law to be helpless.
The bill also permits persons who are eligible to possess a firearm under state or federal to carry a firearm both openly or concealed. Hence, it does away with the permit requirement for most U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
Montana law already allowed open carry without a license, but a permit was required for concealing until this bill became law on Thursday.