Kansas Senate gives initial OK to bill allowing concealed-carry without permit

A bill that would enable Kansans to carry concealed firearms without requiring training or a background check won initial approval in the Kansas Senate on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 45 would make Kansas a “constitutional carry” state, meaning citizens would not need a permit to carry a hidden firearm. The bill would maintain the current permit process for people who want to use their permits in 36 other states.

The bill would give Kansas some of the loosest gun regulations in the country. It would group Kansas with other states with similarly open rules for tucking firearms in purses and waistbands, including Alaska, Arizona, Vermont and Wyoming. Montana requires no permit outside city limits.

“Second Amendment rights are very important to the people of Kansas,” said Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce, R-Hutchinson.

He said he was proud to see the legislation move forward, but he downplayed its impact in a state where many residents already conceal and carry. “When you put everything in perspective, the end result may end up really being a non-event,” he said. “I don’t think a lot will change when we pass it.”

Approached in the Capitol earlier in the day, Gov. Sam Brownback said he had not yet read the bill and could not say if he would support it.

Bill Warren, a Wichita business owner and Republican donor, expressed concerns earlier in the week about the impact the bill could have on his business. Warren said he had been informed that his insurance rates would increase if he allowed people who had not received training to conceal and carry in his movie theaters.

Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, D-Wichita, placed a copy of Warren’s interview with The Eagle on each senator’s desk.

Sen. Jacob LaTurner, R-Pittsburg, who carried the bill, tried to alleviate those concerns. He said that, according to the Kansas Insurance Department, other states that have adopted constitutional carry have not seen noticeable insurance rate increases.

Private businesses would have the right to require that only people with permits could conceal and carry within their premises, he said.

He also contended that Kansans should have the right to protect themselves with a firearm without getting a permit.

“We need to trust the people of Kansas. I don’t think we can ever go wrong if we do that,” LaTurner said.

Sen. Tom Hawk, D-Manhattan, raised concerns that without requiring training it would be difficult to ensure safety and said people ought to pass a safety course before they can conceal and carry.

Faust-Goudeau had similar concerns.

“I think carrying without that training may down the road have some dangerous side effects,” she said.

LaTurner responded by pointing out that the state allows people to carry guns openly without requiring a permit. He also said training would still be available for people who think they need it.

The bill will be up for final passage in the Senate on Thursday. It then would go to the House.

This story was originally published February 25, 2015 at 6:18 PM with the headline "Kansas Senate gives initial OK to bill allowing concealed-carry without permit."