AUGUSTA — The Maine House of Representatives on Tuesday voted on three controversial bills that would loosen state restrictions on places where concealed-weapon permit holders can carry guns.

The House voted 88-59 to give first approval to LD 1347, which would allow concealed-weapon permit holders to carry firearms in state parks and historic sites.

The proposal is a stripped-down version of an omnibus bill that originally would have allowed individuals to carry concealed weapons in places that serve alcohol, the State House and at the site of a union strike.

Twelve Democrats voted with the Republican majority to approve the amended bill, which now will head to the Senate. 

The House voted unanimously to indefinitely postpone LD 932, legislation that would have allowed concealed-weapon permit holders to carry guns into the State House and on Capitol grounds.

Rep. Dale Crafts, R-Lisbon Falls, the lead sponsor of LD 932, said one of his reasons for introducing the bill was because the State House was insecure, a place where anyone armed and unlicensed could walk in and start shooting.

“This place is like a fishbowl,” Crafts said. “Somebody could walk through those doors and there’s no place to go.”

Crafts said he agreed to table the bill after legislative leaders began beefing up security in the State House.

According to a recent report in the Bangor Daily News, the additional security will cost $546,000 over two years. It will add one police officer and four security officers to the Capitol Police budget. The additional manpower will be used to operate a metal detector at the public entrance to the State House.

The metal detectors were purchased several years ago with a Homeland Security grant.

The third gun bill, LD 35, generated extensive debate. The proposal would allow concealed-weapon permit holders to store their guns in their vehicles, even on private property or the workplace.

The debate pitted two constitutional arguments against one another, the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms, and the Fourth Amendment, the right to own private property and to dictate how it’s used.

The bill is opposed by a host of business advocates, including the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, because they believe it would supersede their right to prohibit guns on private property and would increase liability if an incident occurs.

Peter Gore, vice president for governmental affairs at the Maine State Chamber, said during the April public hearing that his organization had received more calls about LD 35 and LD 1347 than any other legislation this session.

Rep. Gary Plummer, R-Windham, said the bill was designed to allow lawfully licensed permit holders to exercise their Second Amendment rights.

“We are told people are already doing it,” said Plummer, adding that the legislation would simply make it legal.

Rep. Anne Haskell, D-Portland, countered that the legislation takes away employers’ rights to have a policy on guns in their parking lots.

Haskell’s argument appeared to win over the chamber as the majority voted against the bill’s passage, 79-68.

However, the bill was given a second chance when Democratic Minority Leader Emily Cain, D-Orono, requested a roll call on the minority ought-not-to-pass report rather than moving to table the bill indefinitely.

The ought-not-to-pass move was defeated, 77-69, and the bill was tabled to later in the session, meaning it faces another vote before heading to the Senate.

Similar gun bills arise nearly every legislative session. However, this is the first session in decades that Republicans have had control in both chambers and the executive branch.

The anticipated debate between gun-rights advocates and gun-control supporters has been defused somewhat since the arrest of Rep. Fred Wintle, R-Garland. He was arrested last month for allegedly threatening a man with a .22-caliber pistol at a Waterville Dunkin’ Donuts.

He has since been ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and has been barred from the Capitol grounds.

Wintle was not a concealed-weapon permit holder.

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