Associated Press Published

State Begins Allowing Concealed Guns Without Permits

9 mm handgun

West Virginia now lets people 21 years old and up carry hidden guns without permits or training.

The law passed by the Republican-led Legislature took effect Tuesday.

In March, lawmakers needed only a simple majority to override Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of the bill.

Tomblin vetoed it over safety concerns from law enforcement officials. He vetoed similar legislation last year.

It was already legal in West Virginia to carry guns openly — in a holster, for instance — without permits.

The law lets people carry concealed guns in public without permits, by wearing a coat for example. People ages 18 through 20 still will need a permit and training with live firing.

West Virginia is one of 10 states that don’t require concealed carry permits.