AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate rejected a bill Wednesday that would have allowed any citizen to carry a secretly hidden handgun without a permit.

The 21-14 vote in favor of rejecting LD 660 came just a day after the state’s House of Representatives defeated the bill by a single vote.

The bill, supported by gun-rights advocates, would have allowed any citizen who is not legally prohibited from possessing a firearm to carry one concealed in public.

Current state law allows open carrying of firearms without a permit, but those wanting to conceal a handgun must obtain a concealed-weapon permit from a state or local authority.

Second Amendment advocates have said that requirement, which involves documented gun proficiency and safety training and a criminal background check, is an infringement on their right to keep and bear arms. The application process also involves a waiting period of 60 days.

“Some of us would argue that the problem is the system,” said Sen. Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon Falls. “It’s an unnecessary requirement that we shouldn’t have to go through to have a Second Amendment right.”

Those in favor of keeping the permit requirement said the required training and background checks enhanced public safety.

“I think those of us who hold those permits have always been proud of the fact — and it’s been touted many times in front of the committee — these are people who have been trained, they have been given education about the laws, about the rules, about respecting other people, handling all of those type of things,” said Sen. Anne Haskell, D-Portland.  

Haskell said she was surprised the National Rifle Association, which has such extensive and well-respected training programs, was supportive of the measure.

“To have an organization that feels so strongly about education here backing a measure that would strip the education piece out of concealed weapons and allow it to go unfettered, I think is surprising to me,” Haskell said prior to the vote.

Others noted that the rights protected in the Maine and U.S. constitutions could be limited. 

“We should not assume that the right to carry arms means that you have a right to carry them secretly. It’s a simple thing,” said Sen. Chris Johnson, D-Somerville. “There is not a constitutional right to have a concealed weapon. There is a right to carry a weapon.”

[email protected]