AL.com:

A group of Alabama sheriffs said Tuesday that current state gun laws limit their discretion in granting concealed carry permits and proposed legislation could further complicate their ability to confiscate weapons from potentially dangerous people.

Louisiana movie theater shooter John Russell Houser was denied a concealed weapons permit in Russell County in 2006. However, Sheriff Heath Taylor said Houser likely would have been given one under legislation passed in 2013 that says sheriffs “shall issue” concealed carry permits instead of sheriffs “may issue” them in cases involving applicants without felony convictions or other outstanding circumstances.

Taylor told a press conference in Phenix City that current law allows sheriffs to deny applications if they can provide reasons to support the denial in the interest of public safety. But he noted that law enforcement decisions may be overruled if the officials can’t provide strong enough documentation or details despite personal knowledge of an applicant’s past behavior.

Republican State Rep. Ed Henry of Decatur said law enforcement officials must simply provide reasons in writing for denying concealed carry permits.

“There’s nothing in the law that says the sheriff has to issue a permit at 18, there’s nothing in the law that removes their discretion, period,” Henry said. “What they can’t do — and what they loved to do before — is deny a pistol permit and not give a reason.”

A portion of the state’s concealed carry law says a sheriff must consider how much time has passed between a questionable incident and the date an application is made. Sheriffs who deny applications are required to provide written statements and evidence unless disclosing those details would interfere with an ongoing investigation.

I didn’t know this about Alabama law.  AL.com makes it sound much like North Carolina where Sheriff’s have a right to deny purchase permits – a throwback to Jim Crow laws that helps the Sheriff’s department raise revenue.  There isn’t much one person can do about it, since we are unfortunately controlled by Charlotte and Raleigh, two hotbeds of liberalism.  Alabama can do better.

So Alabama Sheriff’s have too much control over gun permits (when there shouldn’t be any such thing as a gun permit at all), and they want even more!  Totalitarians don’t just live up North.  They ensconce themselves wherever they’re allowed, and Alabama had better nip this in the bud.  You don’t need boys like that hanging around causing trouble.