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History of concealed carry in the United States

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407:, associate justice of the Florida Supreme Court, said that the Florida law banning concealed carry, "he original Act of 1893 ... was passed for the purpose of disarming the negro laborers ... and to give the white citizens in sparsely settled areas a better feeling of security. The statute was never intended to be applied to the white population and in practice has never been so applied. ... t is a safe guess to assume that more than 80% of the white men living in the rural sections of Florida have violated this statute. It is also a safe guess to say that not more than 5% of the men in Florida who own pistols and repeating rifles have ever applied to the Board of County Commissioners for a permit to have the same in their possession and there has never been, within my knowledge, any effort to enforce the provisions of this statute as to white people, because it has been generally conceded to be in contravention to the Constitution and non-enforceable if contested." 333:, the Court confirmed the Second Amendment protects the right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. The Court struck down a requirement in New York's public carry law that required an applicant to have "proper cause" to carry outside the home, separate from a general desire for self-defense. The Court did not invalidate any of the other provisions of New York's law requiring people who carry guns in public to obtain a permit. In fact, Justice Kavanaugh stated in his concurrence that, "oing forward, therefore, the 43 States that employ objective shall-issue licensing regimes for carrying handguns for self-defense may continue to do so. Likewise, the 6 States including New York potentially affected by today’s decision may continue to require licenses for carrying handguns for self-defense so long as those States employ objective licensing requirements like those used by the 43 shall-issue States." In 45: 388:, also known as "permitless carry" or "Vermont carry". However, Vermont's refusal to touch the subject of concealed carry regulation leaves its citizens without the ability to acquire a concealed carry permit in their home state. This causes problems for Vermonters traveling to states that recognize only resident carry permits, and for Vermonters who would apply for nonresident permits in states that require proof of a resident concealed carry permit before they will consider issuing a nonresident permit. This could theoretically also cause problems under the 289: 247: 361:. However, the constitutions of 32 states expressly protect an individual right to keep and bear arms (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming). 526:. This case considered a person suspected of stealing from a convenience store who, upon interview, was found to be carrying a concealed firearm and charged with carrying unlawfully. The charge was dismissed, as the defendant had not used the firearm unlawfully, nor had demonstrated intent to do so. The court held that simply carrying a concealed or open carried firearm by a person not otherwise prohibited is not a criminal act. 392:, which through its 1000-foot radius provision, makes unlicensed carrying of firearms illegal under Federal law in nearly every part of any city or town, although in practice this Act is rarely (if ever) enforced against persons who are not either on school property or committing some other crime. For these reasons, every other state to adopt constitutional carry has kept its previously existing permitting process in place. 508:, the first time it had struck down a gun law on Second Amendment grounds. The case did not directly concern laws restricting the carry of firearms outside the home. From that point on, more states adopted constitutional carry policies which is to allow both open and concealed carry without a permit, and the last no-issue holdouts gave way. 410:
In fact, Florida was not the only such state to ban the carriage of arms by blacks, nor was it the most explicit. The 1834 Tennessee Constitution, 1836 Arkansas Constitution, as well as the 1838 Florida constitution, stated "That the free white men of this State shall have a right to keep and to bear
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The constitutions of Kentucky (1850), Louisiana (1879), Mississippi (1890) and Idaho (1978) permitted their respective Legislatures to regulate or prohibit concealed carry while respecting the right to open carry without a permit. This is because concealing weapons used to be thought of as a practice
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that "The Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual's right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home", thereby striking down New York's may-issue law and making New York, California, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, and Massachusetts de jure shall-issue jurisdictions. However,
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A study of states that adopted permitless concealed carry laws found that such states experienced a 13% increase in fatal and nonfatal police shootings of civilians compared to what would have been expected had stronger carrying standards remained in place. People who carried firearms at least once
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issued a statement saying that because the local authorities issue permits on a shall-issue basis, Rhode Island meets the requirements set fourth in Bruen and therefore his office can continue issuing permits on a may-issue basis. This has caused controversy since only the Attorney General's carry
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In 2003, Alaska repealed its law restricting concealed carry of firearms, becoming the second state where concealed carry is unrestricted. Unlike Vermont, it kept its licensing scheme in place so that residents could apply for permits for reciprocity purposes with states that require a residential
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Whether the intent of the Second Amendment was to recognize an individual right to own and carry arms, or to guarantee the right of each of the several States to have a militia composed of citizens (i.e. the organized, and unorganized militia, as defined by the Efficiency In Militia Act of 1903)
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case challenging the total ban of concealed carry within the state was decided in favor of the plaintiffs, adopted a shall-issue licensing policy within the timeline established by the Court. While Hawaii has a permit process in place within the law, they do not routinely offer permits, and are
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Hawaii issues carry licenses that must be renewed every year and are only valid in the county of issue, therefore a license holder can only carry in one's home county. Additionally, even though the Bruen ruling put an end to the state's "exceptional case" requirement making them a shall-issue
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of over 30 studies up to 2019 concluded, "the best available studies provide inconclusive evidence for the effect of shall-issue laws" on total homicides, firearm homicides, robberies, assaults, and rapes, and that "there is limited evidence that shall-issue laws may increase violent crime".
435:, which became the model for later laws. His effort was inspired by an NRA director and former border patrolman, Ed Topmiller. The heart of the law was that the job of administering the shall-issue permit process was given to a non-law enforcement, elected official, the Probate Court Judge. 514:
In 2011, Wyoming became the fourth constitutional carry state. Wisconsin was the 49th state to legally abandon a no-issue policy, adopting instead a shall-issue policy. (Other states remained no-issue in practice, but not in law.) That same year, Iowa changed its may-issue policy to become
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During Reconstruction, several states, especially Southern states, passed laws banning concealed carry. These laws were often aimed at disarming African-Americans, and though they did not explicitly say so because of the 14th Amendment, were not to be enforced against whites.
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states "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." Although the Supreme Court first held the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms in
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The state of Vermont is a notable exception to the trend in concealed carry laws. According to its Constitution, it is forbidden from regulating the carrying of firearms, either open or concealed. For this reason, Vermont is the first state to have
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in 9 other states (Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin) protects the individual right, making a total of 41 states that expressly protect an individual right to keep and bear arms.
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In 2006, two states became shall-issue: Kansas and Nebraska. These both had previously been no-issue; this left Wisconsin and Illinois as the only two no-issue states. 37 states were shall-issue, 2 were unrestricted, and 9 were may-issue.
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there remain inconsistencies in how much certain state and local governments are complying with the Supreme Court ruling and whether ordinary citizens can de facto obtain permits in previously may-issue jurisdictions.
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carry permit. Concealed carrying of firearms remained illegal for anyone prohibited from possessing firearms under federal or state law, but any non-prohibited person no longer required a permit to carry a firearm.
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In 1994, four states became shall-issue: Alaska, Arizona, Tennessee, and Colorado. Tennessee had been may-issue since 1989; Colorado was also may-issue. Alaska and Arizona had not previously issued permits.
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In 1996, three more states became shall-issue: Louisiana, South Carolina and Kentucky. Of these, Kentucky had been no-issue, whereas South Carolina and Louisiana had been may-issue. This brought the entire
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Rhode Island has a hybrid permitting process where an applicant for a carry license can either apply through the local authorities of any city or town on a shall-issue basis, or through the
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Mitchell L. Doucette et al., “Officer-Involved Shootings and Concealed Carry Weapons Permitting Laws: Analysis of Gun Violence Archive Data, 2014—2020,” Journal of Urban Health (2022).
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In 1995, seven states became shall-issue: Nevada, Utah, and Virginia had previously been may-issue, whereas Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and North Carolina had previously been no-issue.
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In 2017, two states adopted constitutional carry: North Dakota (concealed carry only and residents only, open carry and non-residents still require a permit) and New Hampshire.
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The modern wave of concealed carry legislation and licensing perhaps had its start in 1976 in Georgia. The Georgia Legislature passed a bill introduced by Lieutenant Governor
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In 1989, four states became shall-issue: Georgia, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia went from may-issue to shall issue. Tennessee went from no-issue to may-issue.
329:(2008), ruling that the Second Amendment protects a responsible, law-abiding individual's right to keep handguns in the home for self-defense. On June 23, 2022, in 17: 585:
jurisdiction, the local authorities have refused to process applications until they receive guidance from state, which has stated they are waiting on the
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David Hemenway, Deborah Azrael, and Matthew Miller, “Whose Guns are Stolen? The Epidemiology of Gun Theft Victims,” Injury Epidemiology 4, no. 1 (2017).
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In 2022, three states adopted constitutional carry: Ohio, Georgia, and Indiana; Alabama enacted legislation to allow it beginning January 1, 2023.
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Also in 2003, four more states became shall-issue: Minnesota and Colorado had been may-issue, and Missouri and New Mexico which had been no-issue.
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to having shall-issue licensing regimes, and increased the number of shall-issue states to 30. Only 7 states remained no-issue under state law.
233: 568: 898: 337:, the Court referred to the 25 states that have repealed their laws requiring permits to carry in public as "permitless carry" states. 593: 275: 176: 161: 136: 91: 438:
The trend for shall-issue laws began in Indiana in 1980, Maine and North Dakota followed in 1985, and South Dakota in 1986.
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In 1990, two states became shall-issue, Idaho and Mississippi. Idaho had been may-issue, Mississippi had been no-issue.
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is the history of public opinion, policy, and law regarding the practice of carrying concealed firearms, especially
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permit gives permission to open carry handguns while the locally issued permits only refer to concealed carry.
504: 325: 323:, 60 U.S. 393, 417 (1857), it struck down a gun control law on Second Amendment grounds for the first time in 141: 810: 156: 126: 857: 268: 121: 213: 171: 529:
2013 also marked the last of the 50 states to abandon a no-issue policy when Illinois, after the 2012
596:, which issues permits on a may-issue basis. After the Bruen ruling, Rhode Island Attorney General 586: 540:
In 2016, four states adopted constitutional carry: Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri and West Virginia.
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in the past month were three times more likely to have had a firearm stolen than other gun owners.
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In 2010, Arizona became the third state (after Alaska and Vermont) to allow constitutional carry.
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to pass new laws to subvert the Bruen ruling before allowing new applications to be processed.
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In 2021, five states adopted constitutional carry: Montana, Utah, Iowa, Tennessee and Texas.
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Research into the effects of shall-issue concealed carry laws has rendered mixed results. A
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In 2019, three states adopted constitutional carry: South Dakota, Kentucky and Oklahoma.
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regarding New York's strict concealed carry permitting laws brought forth by the
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Second concealed licensing wave and the beginnings of constitutional carry
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In 1991, Montana became shall-issue, going from may-issue to shall-issue.
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In 2001, Michigan became shall-issue. It had previously been may-issue.
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In 2015, two states adopted constitutional carry: Maine and Kansas.
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In 2004, Ohio became shall-issue. It previously had been no-issue.
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in 1911 that required a license to possess a concealed firearm.
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New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen
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https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf
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In April 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a writ of
811:"Vermont's Long, Strange Trip to Gun-Rights Paradise" 534:
described as "non-issue" by local firearm advocates.
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In 1987, Florida went from may-issue to shall-issue.
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and the unconstitutionality of may-issue permitting
707:"Effects of Concealed-Carry Laws on Violent Crime" 494:and the constitutional carry wave: 2008 to present 314:Second Amendment to the United States Constitution 331:New York State Pistol & Rifle Assoc. v. Bruen 890: 520:became an ambiguously constitutional carry state 298:history of concealed carry in the United States 569:New York State Rifle & Pistol Association 269: 858:"A History of U.S. Handgun Carry, 1976-2021" 276: 262: 427:Concealed carry licensing wave: 1976-1996 851: 849: 287: 209:Right to keep and bear arms in the U.S. 182:International treaties for arms control 14: 891: 177:History of concealed carry in the U.S. 18:History of concealed carry in the U.S. 846: 414: 92:Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act 27:Historical aspect of American gun law 579: 24: 855: 500:Supreme Court of the United States 117:Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban 25: 910: 899:Gun politics in the United States 626:Gun violence in the United States 621:Gun politics in the United States 419:The State of New York passed the 396:Reconstruction and discrimination 390:Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 152:Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) 107:Connecticut Children's Safety Act 411:arms for their common defence." 245: 75:Bipartisan Safer Communities Act 43: 871: 828: 803: 375:done exclusively by criminals. 292:History of concealed carry laws 779: 755: 731: 722: 713: 699: 688: 663: 638: 505:District of Columbia v. Heller 326:District of Columbia v. Heller 189:Background Check System (NICS) 13: 1: 763:"STATE v. KERNER. (No. 345.)" 631: 369: 307: 162:Gun laws in the U.S. by state 142:Firearm Owners Protection Act 87:Firearms and Explosives (ATF) 127:Federal Firearms Act of 1938 7: 860:. Texas Handgun Association 604: 194:National Firearms Act (NFA) 122:Federal Assault Weapons Ban 102:Concealed carry in the U.S. 85:Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 70:Assault weapons legislation 33:Firearm legal topics of the 10: 915: 879:"Hawaii Rifle Association" 739:"Constitution of Virginia" 378: 214:Second Amendment sanctuary 172:High-capacity magazine ban 671:"Dredd Scott v. Sandford" 646:"Dredd Scott v. Sandford" 594:Attorney General's office 524:Taff v. State of Arkansas 359:an issue of public debate 187:National Instant Criminal 587:Hawaii State Legislature 252:United States portal 167:Gun politics in the U.S. 132:Federal Firearms License 97:Campus carry in the U.S. 791:legislature.vermont.gov 650:Justia US Supreme Court 320:Dredd Scott v. Sandford 236:and Law Enforcement Act 219:Sullivan Act (New York) 147:Gun Control Act of 1968 616:American gun ownership 293: 204:Open carry in the U.S. 291: 234:Violent Crime Control 743:law.lis.virginia.gov 386:constitutional carry 112:Constitutional carry 157:Gun law in the U.S. 518:In 2013, Arkansas 415:Early 20th century 294: 840:CourtListener.com 344:conducted by the 286: 285: 16:(Redirected from 906: 883: 882: 875: 869: 868: 866: 865: 853: 844: 843: 832: 826: 825: 823: 822: 807: 801: 800: 798: 797: 783: 777: 776: 774: 773: 759: 753: 752: 750: 749: 735: 729: 726: 720: 717: 711: 710: 703: 697: 692: 686: 685: 683: 681: 667: 661: 660: 658: 656: 642: 580:Unsettled issues 531:Moore_v._Madigan 405:Rivers H. Buford 346:RAND Corporation 278: 271: 264: 250: 249: 248: 229:Tiahrt Amendment 137:Firearm case law 47: 30: 29: 21: 914: 913: 909: 908: 907: 905: 904: 903: 889: 888: 887: 886: 877: 876: 872: 863: 861: 856:Arnold, Larry. 854: 847: 834: 833: 829: 820: 818: 809: 808: 804: 795: 793: 785: 784: 780: 771: 769: 761: 760: 756: 747: 745: 737: 736: 732: 727: 723: 718: 714: 705: 704: 700: 693: 689: 679: 677: 669: 668: 664: 654: 652: 644: 643: 639: 634: 611:Concealed carry 607: 582: 561: 496: 471: 429: 417: 398: 381: 372: 310: 282: 246: 244: 235: 188: 86: 61: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 912: 902: 901: 885: 884: 870: 845: 827: 802: 778: 754: 730: 721: 712: 698: 687: 662: 636: 635: 633: 630: 629: 628: 623: 618: 613: 606: 603: 581: 578: 560: 554: 495: 489: 470: 467: 428: 425: 416: 413: 397: 394: 380: 377: 371: 368: 309: 306: 284: 283: 281: 280: 273: 266: 258: 255: 254: 241: 240: 239: 238: 231: 226: 221: 216: 211: 206: 201: 196: 191: 184: 179: 174: 169: 164: 159: 154: 149: 144: 139: 134: 129: 124: 119: 114: 109: 104: 99: 94: 89: 82: 77: 72: 67: 65:Assault weapon 60: 59: 49: 48: 40: 39: 35: 34: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 911: 900: 897: 896: 894: 880: 874: 859: 852: 850: 841: 837: 831: 816: 812: 806: 792: 788: 782: 768: 764: 758: 744: 740: 734: 725: 716: 708: 702: 696: 691: 676: 672: 666: 651: 647: 641: 637: 627: 624: 622: 619: 617: 614: 612: 609: 608: 602: 599: 598:Peter Neronha 595: 590: 588: 577: 574: 570: 566: 558: 553: 550: 547: 544: 541: 538: 535: 532: 527: 525: 521: 516: 515:shall-issue. 512: 509: 507: 506: 501: 498:In 2008, the 493: 488: 484: 481: 478: 474: 466: 464: 458: 455: 451: 448: 445: 442: 439: 436: 434: 424: 422: 412: 408: 406: 402: 393: 391: 387: 376: 367: 364: 360: 354: 350: 347: 343: 342:meta-analysis 338: 336: 332: 328: 327: 322: 321: 315: 305: 303: 299: 290: 279: 274: 272: 267: 265: 260: 259: 257: 256: 253: 243: 242: 237: 232: 230: 227: 225: 222: 220: 217: 215: 212: 210: 207: 205: 202: 200: 197: 195: 192: 190: 185: 183: 180: 178: 175: 173: 170: 168: 165: 163: 160: 158: 155: 153: 150: 148: 145: 143: 140: 138: 135: 133: 130: 128: 125: 123: 120: 118: 115: 113: 110: 108: 105: 103: 100: 98: 95: 93: 90: 88: 83: 81: 78: 76: 73: 71: 68: 66: 63: 62: 58: 57: 53: 52: 51: 50: 46: 42: 41: 38:United States 37: 36: 32: 31: 19: 873: 862:. 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Index

History of concealed carry in the U.S.

Amendment II
Assault weapon
Assault weapons legislation
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
Bump stocks
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act
Campus carry in the U.S.
Concealed carry in the U.S.
Connecticut Children's Safety Act
Constitutional carry
Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban
Federal Assault Weapons Ban
Federal Firearms Act of 1938
Federal Firearms License
Firearm case law
Firearm Owners Protection Act
Gun Control Act of 1968
Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA)
Gun law in the U.S.
Gun laws in the U.S. by state
Gun politics in the U.S.
High-capacity magazine ban
History of concealed carry in the U.S.
International treaties for arms control
National Instant Criminal
Background Check System (NICS)

National Firearms Act (NFA)
NY SAFE Act

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