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Gillette City Council votes to advance ban on open carry in city buildings, removes most conceal carry restrictions

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By
David Neri with the Gillette News Record, via the Wyoming News Exchange

GILLETTE — This week, the Gillette City Council took a step toward amending city code to comply with one of Wyoming’s new laws, passing on first reading an amendment to the books during its meeting on Tuesday.

During its recent legislative session, Wyoming lawmakers passed House Bill 172, known as the Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act, which allows those lawfully carrying concealed weapons to do so on public property except in law enforcement buildings, detention facilities and courtrooms.

Previously, Wyoming law prevented concealed carry during government meetings, public schools and colleges in what were referred to as “gun-free zones.”

City Attorney Sean Brown said that for the city to remain in compliance with state law, the city must pass an ordinance amending its code before the state law goes into effect in July.

Presenting two potential amendments for the city code, Brown said the only difference between the two deals with open carry rules within city buildings, which the new state law explicitly leaves up to the communities to determine.

The proposals were met with mixed reviews by the council, which ultimately voted 5-2 to approve the ordinance banning open carry in city buildings.

Council members Chris Smith and Tim Carsrud voted against the measure, expressing disagreement based on Second Amendment grounds.

“I just feel it’s important to follow the Second Amendment, 100%, and not deviate (from) the Second Amendment,” Carsrud said. “The law says I can conceal (carry) or open (carry), I think we need to follow that.”

Smith agreed.

“I support the Second Amendment and I’m not going to put a shackle on it,” he said. “I’m sorry, I can’t go there.”

Proponents of the open carry ban cited the potential for intimidation as well as the safety of city staff as the reasons behind their vote. An informal poll of 30 staff members showed that six were indifferent to the prospect of customers open carrying, while 24 said it would make them nervous.

“I think it’s important for us to provide a safe, healthy environment for our employees to work in, and if they’re uncomfortable with having open carry, I think that’s something that we need to consider,” Councilwoman Heidi Gross said. “I also think about our citizens when they’re coming here for our meetings and I think maybe some of these folks that come to our meetings may be a little intimidated as well if they see people with guns on their back or whatever the case may be there.”

Councilman Nathan McLeland said that having lived in Wyoming a long time, he’s seen many people open carry.

“It doesn’t necessarily bother me, but it can be disconcerting when someone comes into your place of work with the open carry firearm,” he said.

As the first reading of the amendment, the council will need to approve a second and third reading before the changes to the city code take place.

During this process, the council will gather information, hear public comment and formulate proposed changes. Brown said the city will have the opportunity to do so during June’s two regular city council meetings, with an extra meeting during the month, initially to help the council push along its fiscal budget for 2025-2026, giving it some wiggle room.

“The reason it is on our council meeting (agenda) tonight is to ride a little bit of buffer, so we have three regular meetings left before that July 1 deadline,” Brown said. “We are also very likely going to be having a special meeting sometime in June as well for budgetary purposes, so we have a little bit of flexibility there.”

This story was published on May 24, 2025.

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