ALABAMA Article I, Section 26 
        .  That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself  and the state. 

        ALASKA Article I, Section 19 
        .  A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of  the  people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. 

        ARIZONA Article II, Section 26 
        .  The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of  himself or the state shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize,  maintain, or employ an armed body of men. 

        ARKANSAS Article II, Section 5 
        .  The citizens of this State shall have the right to keep and bear arms for their common defense. 

        COLORADO Article II, Section 13 
        .  The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned shall be called in question; but nothing herein  contained shall be construed to justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons. 

        CONNECTICUT Article I, Section 17 
        .  Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of  himself and  the state. 

        FLORIDA Declaration of Rights, Section 20 
        .  The right of the people to bear arms in defense of  themselves and  the lawful authority of the state shall not be infringed, but the Legislature may prescribe the manner in which they may be borne. 

        GEORGIA Article I, Section 2-122 
        .  The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed but the Legislature shall regulate the exercise of this right by law. 

        HAWAII Article I, Section 15 
        .  A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. 

        IDAHO Article I, Section II 
        .  The people have the right to bear arms for their security and defense; but the Legislature shall regulate the exercise of this right  by law. 

        ILLINOIS Article I, Section 22 
        .  Subject only to the police power, the right of the individual citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. 

        INDIANA Article I, Section 32 
        .  The people shall have a right to bear arms for the defense of  themselves and the state. 

        KANSAS Bill of Rights, Section 4 
        .  The people have the right to keep and bear arms for the common defense.  And as, in time of peace, armies are dangerous to liberty,  they ought not to be maintained without the consent of the  legislature; and the military shall always be held in an exact subordination to the civil authority, and be governed by it. 

        KENTUCKY Bill of Rights 
        .  We declare that ...all men ...have...  7. The right to bear arms in  defense of themselves and of the state, subject to the power of the general assembly to enact laws to prevent persons from carrying concealed weapons. 

        LOUISIANA Article I, Section 8 
        .  A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be abridged.  This shall not prevent the passage of laws to punish those who carry weapons concealed. 

        MAINE Article I, Section 16 
        .  Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms for the common defense; and this right shall never be questioned. 

        MASSACHUSETTS Declaration of Rights, Article 17 
        .  The people have a right to keep and bear arms for the common defense.  And as, in time of peace, armies are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be maintained without the consent of the legislature; and the military shall always be held in an exact subordination to the civil authority, and be governed by it. 

        MICHIGAN Article II, Section 5 
        .  Every person has a right to bear arms for the defense of himself  and the state. 

        MISSISSIPPI Bill of Rights, Article II, Section 12 
        .  The right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, or property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but the legislature .may regulate or forbid carrying concealed weapons. 

        MONTANA Article III, Section 13 
        .  The right of any person to keep or bear arms in defense of his own home, person, and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but nothing herein contained shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons. 

        NEW MEXICO Article II, Section 6 
        .  The people have the right to bear arms for their security and defense, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons. 

        NORTH CAROLINA Article I, Section 24 
        .  A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, and as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up, and the military should be kept  under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.   Nothing herein contained shall justify the practice of carrying  concealed weapons or prevent the Legislature from enacting penal statues against said practice. 

        OHIO Article I, Section 4 
        .  The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and  security; but standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty and shall not be kept up, and the military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power. 

        OKLAHOMA Article II, Section 26 
        .  The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person or property, or in aid of the civil power when thereunto legally summoned, shall never be prohibited; but nothing herein  contained shall prevent the Legislature from regulating the carrying of weapons. 

        OREGON Article I, Section 27 
        .  The people shall have the right to bear arms for the defense of  themselves, and the state, but the military shall be kept in strict subordination to the civil power. 

        PENNSYLVANIA Article I, Section 21 
        .  The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be questioned. 

        RHODE ISLAND Article I, Section 22 
        .  The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. 

        SOUTH CAROLINA Article I, Section 26 
        .  A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. 

        SOUTH DAKOTA Article VI, Section 24 
        .  The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be denied. 

        TENNESSEE Article I, Section 26 
        .  That the citizens of this State have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime. 

        TEXAS Article I, Section 23 
        .  Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent  crime. 
 

        UTAH Article I, Section 6 
        .  The people have the right to bear arms for their security and defense, but the Legislature may regulate the exercise of this right by law. 

        VERMONT Chapter I, Article 16 
        .  That the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of  themselves and the State -- and as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty they ought not to be kept up; and that the  military should be kept under strict subordination to and governed by the civil power. 

        WASHINGTON Article I, Section 24 
        .  The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of  himself, or the State, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men. 

        WYOMING Article I, Section 24 
        .  The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of  themselves and of  the state shall not be denied. 

        The General Assembly of VIRGINIA passed a resolution into law in 1964, saying (in part):  "...that no agency of this State or of any political subdivision should be given any power or seek any power  which would prohibit the purchase or possession of firearms by any citizen of good standing for the purpose of  personal defense, sport,  recreation, or other non-criminal activities... "