Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, said Utah's current statute is overly cumbersome for the average sportsman or gun owner to follow.

"It puts law-abiding citizens at a disadvantage if they are approached by a criminal," he said.

Madsen first proposed the idea in the previous legislative session, but decided he needed more time to finalize his plan.

The bill, endorsed on a 12-2 vote, would allow any person who can lawfully own a weapon to be able to conceal it loaded in a vehicle.

The current law allows for a firearm in a vehicle, but only if it is unloaded and either out in the open or securely contained in a place other than a center console or a glove box. Concealed-weapons permit holders are exempt from the restrictions.

Charles Hardy of Gun Owners of Utah and Madsen described the legislation as "not a major change," meant mostly to simplify the law and help people from "avoiding a technical misstep."

Holladay Democratic Rep. Pat Jones disagreed with that characterization.

"I think that it is very major," she said. "Does this put law enforcement in jeopardy or children in jeopardy or other people in the car in jeopardy?"

Madsen said Utah is one of 24 states that does not allow people to drive with a loaded gun and is the only state in the Intermountain West with such a ban.

He said studies in states that allow people to drive with a loaded weapon have shown no discernible increase in crime, road-rage incidents or accidents with firearms.

Hardy said after the meeting that he knows of no case in Utah where someone was cited, arrested or charged for improperly storing their firearm in a vehicle.

Law enforcement groups have not fully discussed the proposal and had yet to decide their position on the bill.

Wednesday's vote gives Madsen's bill momentum as it advances to the full Legislature during its next session, which begins in January.

mcanham@sltrib.com