CHARLESTON, W. Va. — West Virginians will soon be able to carry concealed weapons almost anywhere in public without a permit, related background check and gun-use training.

A law repealing those requirements will go into effect in late May as a result of the state legislature overturning Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of a bill gutting the state’s concealed carry restrictions.

Law enforcement officials opposed the bill on public safety grounds, but the House of Delegates voted 64-33 on Friday to override Tomblin’s veto, and the state Senate followed suit on Saturday by a vote of 23-11.

The legislation provides a $50 tax credit for anyone who voluntarily undergoes gun training, and persons between the ages of 18 and 21 must still obtain a permit.

Advocates of the contentious bill said it was necessary to protect the rights of citizens to carry concealed guns for personal safety in wake of several recent mass shootings in the U.S.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, who championed the override, said he respected that police wanted to retain the permit process and require gun training, but “the constitutional authority to carry a weapon is inherent in our Second Amendment” of the U.S. Constitution.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey also supported the bill and override of the governor’s veto. He said eliminating permits, their background checks and gun training “will not only expand freedom, but we will keep our citizens protected.”

The governor expressed disappointment at West Virginia becoming only the seventh state in the country to not require concealed weapons permits.

“It’s unfortunate that the concerns of officers from every law enforcement branch in the state, including the West Virginia State Police and university campus police officers, have been ignored,” said Tomblin.

Raleigh County Sheriff Steve Tanner of Beckley said law officers considered the legislation irresponsible. He said it also extended to knives and such weapons as brass knuckles.

“I don’t know how we as a society can say it’s OK for someone to carry a concealed weapon … with absolutely no training and expect if something bad happens, they’re going to be the hero to rush in to protect their family or strangers,” said Tanner. “It has got to be the law that people are required to have training before they carry.”

Tanner said requiring permits, related background checks and gun training to carry a concealed weapon “works very, very well. No person has been denied (a permit) who has the right to have these weapons.”

Ron Booker, a member of the Beckley City Council, equated the legislature’s decision to allowing a child to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and drive off.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “There’s no use carrying a weapon if you don’t know how to use it.”

Details for this story were provided by the Beckley, W. Va., Register-Herald and the Bluefield, W. Va., Telegraph.