Kansas bill bans discrimination against firearms industry. It faces an uncertain future
A bill before Kansas lawmakers would prohibit discrimination against businesses that manufacture or sell firearms—barring anyone from ending or refusing a business relationship with companies solely because they are involved in the weapons trade.
The proposal faces a shaky future but its introduction this week illustrates the aggressive stance taken by the Legislature to create a gun-friendly environment in Kansas over the past two decades. Past restrictions on firearms and even concealed weapons have crumbled under opposition from gun rights supporters, who continue to push for further changes.
Rep. Blake Carpenter, a Derby Republican, offered the bill Tuesday on behalf of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
“Ultimately, I think that what we’ve seen in past years is that people have been attempting to discriminate against firearms manufacturers and that’s hurt their businesses,” Carpenter said. “I don’t think that’s something we should ultimately be allowing.”
Carpenter offered no specific examples of such discrimination.
The title of the bill — the “Kansas firearms industry nondiscrimination act”— drew consternation Wednesday from advocates of anti-discrimination legislation for LGBTQ individuals. Lawmakers haven’t advanced LGBTQ non-discrimination protections in Kansas, where discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is legal.
“You know, we would consider supporting a bill like this if it were amended to include sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Tom Witt, director of Equality Kansas.
Carpenter’s bill -- House Bill 2717 -- says it is discriminatory “for any person to refuse to provide any goods or services of any kind, or to refrain from continuing an existing business relationship, or to terminate an existing business relationship” solely because that person is engaged is “engaged in the lawful commerce” of guns and ammunition. The bill’s definition of “person” includes individuals, corporations and labor organizations.
Carpenter offered the bill the day before proponents of gun restrictions flooded the Kansas Capitol to offer an alternative vision of how the state should approach firearms. Wearing red, dozens of Moms Demand Action activists swarmed the Statehouse to lobby lawmakers and rally support.
Marsha Cox, 61, a retired schoolteacher from Topeka, was one of the mothers in the group Wednesday. She warned against any legislation that would further loosen gun regulations, especially in places like schools.
“We just need to make sure we’re not stepping backwards,” Cox said.
In recent years, Kansas lawmakers have voted to allow residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit. Guns are allowed in both the state capitol and on public college campuses.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation has pursued the anti-discrimination bill in legislatures across the country. The organization cites the Obama-era Department of Justice program called “Operation Choke Point,” intended to discourage banks from doing business with certain kinds of companies, including those in the payday loan and firearms industries.
Supporters said the program was intended to make the banking system less available to companies with a history of fraud. But critics said the effort was needlessly damaging law abiding businesses.
The bill’s future is uncertain. Rep. John Barker, an Abilene Republican and chair of the House Federal and State Affairs committee, said he would not be hearing or working on the bill at this time.
“Things always change up here, but it’s just been introduced and I have a number of other bills that have priority over these bills,” Barker said.
Barker’s declaration isn’t necessarily the end of the line for the legislation. Bills are often revived later amid political maneuvering or brought as amendments during floor debates on other measures.
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 1:39 PM.