A bill that would allow the carrying of a concealed weapon across state lines in some cases has not yet been signed into a law.

Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace said the bill has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives but not yet in the Senate. The bill, known as the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, would amend the federal criminal code to allow an individual with a concealed carry pistol permit to carry and/or conceal a handgun in another state that allows individuals to do so.

Currently, concealed carry permits are not valid across state lines.

According to the legal counsel of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association, “several criteria” have to be in order for a person to take advantage of the legislation if it is passed. First, the person would have to possess a state-issued license to carry a concealed fire arm. The state in which the license holder is carrying the firearm into must also not have a law against concealed carry.

Likewise, the firearm the individual is carrying cannot be prohibited in the state they wish to concealed carry in. The individual must not be in violation of the current federal firearms prohibitors such as felony conviction, fugitive from justice, involuntary commitment or determination of mental illness, domestic violence conviction and others.

Counsel for the New York State Sheriff’s Association said if the bill does become a law, New Yorkers will have to “do their research” before carrying a firearm across state lines.

Gerace said the bill has currently been put before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“It’s is currently being discussed at the federal level,” he said.

Gerace said if the bill should pass the Senate in the future, the state will want direction on how it will impact New York state on the whole.

Currently, Gerace said there are more than 30,000 pistol permit holders in Chautauqua County. He said the number of applications from female applicants has been increasing over the years, which could be due to a desire for safety or an interest in “handgunning” for sport.

At the moment, a person has to put in an application for a pistol permit, and then take a safety class. Gerace said classes are offered across the county at varying times. Then, a person is fingerprinted and a background investigation is done. Finally, a judge will issue the permit.

Gerace said the process can take up to six months at this point, but much of that time is due to the backlog. He said only one person works on pistol permit applications at this time.

Gerace added that if a person does get a pistol permit, there are places they cannot carry their handgun, such as at a school or other designated areas.