Utah lawmakers want to expand gun rights  Feb 10 2013 - 12:42pm
SALT LAKE CITY  -- While some lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are
calling for increased gun control, Utah legislators are charging
ahead in the opposite direction with measures seeking to expand
gun rights.  Some of this year's proposals are part of a
perennial push to keep Utah firearm-friendly, but other pieces
of legislation are a response to a perceived threat against the
Second Amendment from the White House.  None of the gun bills
has been scheduled for a hearing yet, but Utah House Speaker
Rebecca Lockhart said lawmakers will consider all of them at the
same time. They haven't settled on a date yet, but it could come
as early as this week, as legislators have just passed a
deadline to request new bills.  One bill awaiting a hearing in
the House would get rid of the requirement for people carrying a
concealed weapon to have a permit.  The measure, sponsored by
Rep. John Mathis, R-Vernal, would allow anyone 21 or over to
carry a hidden gun a