MONTGOMERY, Ala. — On Tuesday night, the Alabama Senate passed SB14, 26-7 which would allow law abiding residents to carry a pistol in their car without a permit.

Last year, Senator Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa) shepherded the bill through the Alabama Senate, but it ultimately died in the House.

“No one is required to have a permit to keep a handgun in his or her house. The Castle Doctrine states vehicles are an extension of a person’s home,” Allen explained. “Therefore, adults should have the right to carry a pistol in their car without a permit.”

Supporters of Allen’s bill say it would ease restrictions on open-carriers and further ensure Alabamians’ ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights. The Alabama Sheriffs Association has opposed the bill in previous legislative sessions, saying it would make law enforcement officers’ jobs more difficult and could lead to more incidents of road rage. They also noted that sheriffs would lose some of the revenue they receive through pistol permits, which helps to fund their departments.

The bill now heads to the Alabama House of Representatives.