The Alabama Senate is the next stop for a bill that would end permits to carry a concealed handgun in the state.
The measure moves on after approval in the Alabama House after members voted 65 to 37 in favor of the bill.
Gun rights advocate say people shouldn't have to get a permit, which requires a background check and paying a fee. Alabama law officers argue that the permits provide a crucial tool to combat crime and enhance public safety.
Gun-related deaths in Alabama and throughout the South remains reportedly high. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Alabama’s death rate from firearms is about 24 per 100,000 people. New York is five per 100,000.