Truck Driver Takes Concealed Carry Case to Supreme Court

A long-haul truck driver is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review Minnesota’s refusal to recognize his valid concealed-carry permits from Georgia and Florida. The case raises questions about whether states may require licensed drivers to disarm or comply with separate firearm-storage rules when crossing state lines.

Challenge centers on Minnesota reciprocity rules

Jeffrey Johnson, a Georgia-based long-haul truck driver, holds concealed-carry permits issued by Georgia and Florida. According to a petition filed by the Liberty Justice Center, Johnson regularly hauls cargo across the country and makes annual trips to or through Minnesota.

Minnesota does not recognize concealed-carry permits issued by Georgia or Florida. As a result, Johnson’s petition argues that he must unload and secure his handgun in a container while traveling through the state unless he obtains a Minnesota permit or the state adds Georgia and Florida to its reciprocity list.

The case, Johnson v. Jacobson, asks whether Minnesota’s policy violates Johnson’s constitutional right to carry a firearm for self-defense. The petition contends that a driver who has been approved to carry in two states should not have to undergo a separate licensing process each time his route crosses a state line.

Case is not yet before the court for a ruling

The Supreme Court has not decided whether it will hear the case. If the justices accept the petition, the case could address how state concealed-carry laws apply to people whose work requires frequent interstate travel.

The petition comes as courts continue to consider the limits of state firearm regulations following recent Supreme Court decisions addressing concealed-carry licensing and public-carry restrictions. A ruling in Johnson’s case could affect how states treat out-of-state permits, including those held by commercial truck drivers and other workers who regularly travel across multiple jurisdictions.

Potential trucking industry impact

Long-haul drivers routinely cross state lines, but firearm laws and permit-recognition policies differ from state to state. Johnson’s challenge focuses on whether those differences can require a driver to change how a firearm is transported during an interstate trip, even when the driver holds permits issued by other states.

For now, the Supreme Court’s decision on whether to take up the petition remains pending.