A bill that would ease restrictions on carrying a firearm in an automobile has been delayed from committee debate until police groups can meet with advocates, Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, sponsor of Senate Bill 24, said Tuesday.

Madsen is sponsoring the bill on behalf of pro-gun groups who believe the existing law is inconsistent with surrounding states and confusing to citizens who want to carry handguns in their vehicles for self-protection.

As Utah law now stands, a gun can be carried in a vehicle if it is "not loaded." In this case, that means the gun can have cartridges in its magazine or cylinders - but would require at least two actions to fire, the last one being pulling the trigger.

Madsen's bill would change that language, making firearm legal, even if it required only one action - merely pulling the trigger - to fire.

But having a ready-to-fire gun in cars could escalate road rage incidents from an obscene gesture to gunfire, said Heber Police Chief Ed Rhoades, president of the Utah Police Chiefs Association. Officer safety would also be jeopardized by a suspect's ability to just grab a handgun and pull the trigger while stopped by police.

Madsen said many law enforcement officers support the bill, but some don't: "It's all over the spectrum."

Supporters of the bill will meet with various law enforcement groups this week and next to explain the bill to them.

As for officers' fear of road rage escalation, Madsen said: "You can be concerned about anything. You can be concerned about the bogie man. That doesn't make it real."