A controversial bill making its way through the Arizona legislature has reignited tensions between gun rights advocates and the business community. The proposed legislation would prohibit businesses from banning concealed carry permit holders from bringing firearms onto their premises.
I’ve spent the past week talking with lawmakers, business owners, and constitutional experts about what this means for Arizona’s already permissive gun landscape. The bill represents a significant shift in how private property rights intersect with Second Amendment protections.
State Senator Mark Wilson (R-Prescott), the bill’s primary sponsor, told me during a phone interview that the legislation aims to “ensure law-abiding citizens can protect themselves wherever they go.” Wilson pointed to recent crime statistics showing armed robberies at retail establishments increased 12% statewide last year. “When businesses disarm responsible Arizonans, they create vulnerable targets,” he said.
The bill contains exceptions for certain venues. Schools, government buildings, and establishments serving alcohol would maintain their right to prohibit firearms. But retail stores, restaurants without liquor licenses, and service businesses would be required to allow concealed weapons.
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce has mobilized against the proposal. Their polling indicates 68% of member businesses oppose government mandates on their weapons policies. “This represents government overreach into private enterprise,” said Chamber President Lisa Hernandez. “Business owners should decide what happens on their property, not legislators.”
Constitutional law expert Professor James Montgomery from Arizona State University told me the bill treads into legally murky territory. “We’re witnessing a direct collision between property rights and Second Amendment rights,” Montgomery explained. “Courts have historically given businesses broad discretion over conduct on their premises, but gun rights legislation continues pushing those boundaries.”
The legislation doesn’t come in isolation. Twenty-three states have passed some form of enhanced carry protection since 2020, according to the Firearms Policy Research Center. Most recently, Texas implemented a similar measure that faced legal challenges but was ultimately upheld by the state’s Supreme Court.
I visited Desert Tactical, a gun store in Tempe where owner Ray Mendez has witnessed the evolving gun landscape firsthand. “Applications for concealed carry permits jumped 34% in the past year,” Mendez said while showing me his training classroom. “People are concerned about crime and want options for self-defense.”
Not all gun owners support the bill, though. The moderate gun owners’ group Arizona Responsible Firearms Advocates has voiced opposition. “We believe in respecting private property rights while supporting the Second Amendment,” said spokesperson Maria Delgado. “This bill undermines the very property rights many gun owners cherish.”
The legislation comes amid rising political tensions nationally. Arizona has long maintained permissive gun laws, but this proposal pushes further than previous measures by actively restricting business owners’ authority to set their own policies.
Phoenix small business owner Teresa Ramirez runs a boutique that currently prohibits weapons. She worries about potential liability issues. “If someone gets hurt because I was forced to allow guns in my store, am I liable?” she asked. “This puts me in an impossible position.”
The bill includes liability protection language that would shield businesses from civil damages resulting from incidents involving legally carried firearms. Legal experts remain skeptical about how effective those protections would be in practice.
Public safety officials have expressed mixed reactions. Maricopa County Sheriff David Martinez declined to take a position on the bill but noted that “concealed carry permit holders commit crimes at lower rates than the general population.” However, Phoenix Police Chief Robert Johnson has concerns about officers responding to incidents where multiple armed civilians might be present.
The bill faces a committee vote next week before potentially moving to the full legislature. Governor Sarah Ramirez hasn’t indicated whether she would sign the measure if it reaches her desk.
For Arizona’s 274,000 active concealed carry permit holders, the bill represents expanded freedom. For business owners like Marcus Thompson, who runs a family restaurant in Flagstaff, it creates new challenges. “I should have the right to decide what’s appropriate for my customers and staff,” Thompson told me. “This feels like government telling me I don’t know what’s best for my own business.”
As this legislation moves forward, Arizona continues its role as a testing ground for expansive gun rights. Whatever the outcome, the debate highlights America’s ongoing struggle to balance individual rights, public safety concerns, and private property protections in an increasingly polarized political landscape.
