CCW Moves in Kansas Senate - Committee Action Scheduled 3-23-04

[CasualShooter]

Committee Action on HB 2798--Personal and family protection act; licensing to carry concealed firearms is Scheduled for Tuesday morning, 3-23-04--Contact your Kansas Senators and express your support.

http://www.kslegislature.org/cgi-bin/getfile.cgi/agstat/2004/sa0322.pdf

Federal and State Affairs
10:30 a.m. John Beverlin, Sec.–296-4335 231-N
Monday, March 22
Meeting on call of the Chair
Tuesday, March 23
Possible action on bills previously heard
Hearing, discussion and possible action on:
HB 2835--Unlawful use of a recording device
Action on:
HB 2798--Personal and family protection act; licensing to carry concealed
firearms

 

[bobs1066]

I'm keeping 'em in sight.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I heard on WIBW that it passed in committee and is going on to the senate.I called Lyon's office today but had'nt heard back before leaving for work.Two more hurdles to go......

 

[bobs1066]

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- A measure allowing Kansans to carry concealed hangduns went to the full Senate after being endorsed Tuesday by the Federal and State Affairs Committee on a 5-4 vote.

Several attempts to broaden the list of places where concealed guns would remain forbidden failed on similar votes.

The most significant change from a version of the bill passed by the House is that the attorney general's office would issue permits, rather than the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

KBI officials have taken no position on the concept of concealed weapons but have said the agency did not want to become a licensing authority. They estimated the agency would need between six and nine new employees to handle the work, while the attorney general's office says it needs only two new employees for the job.

The Senate committee rejected attempts to ban concealed weapons in hospitals, churches, banks and government property such as community centers and parks. The bill already listed city halls, courthouses, the Statehouse, the Kansas State Fair, bars and taverns among the places where carrying concealed guns would be banned.

"If we're going to have concealed carry, we've got to be able to carry it somewhere besides home and the car," said Sen. Stan Clark, R-Oakley.

Much of the debate focused on whether concealed weapons should be banned anywhere children gather for extracurricular activities. The bill already forbid weapons on school property, but some senators wanted to expand that to school activities that aren't conducted on school property, such as field trips.

Clark said he used to take dozens of children on field trips for such activities as clearing out a river bank or hunting sharks' teeth. Sometimes, he said, he took a gun along in case the group came across snakes or dangerous animals.

"If I run into a problem, I generally don't make a big issue out of it," he said. "I just take the gun out and take care of the problem."

Sen. Kay O'Connor, R-Olathe, said she thought it onerous to add to the list of places where people couldn't carry concealed weapons because people with permits would go through a screening process to get them.

"I think these prohibitions are overkill," she said.

Also rejected was an amendment offered by Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, that would have allowed people to have concealed stun guns or tasers but not handguns.

Barnett said the concealed-carry bill likely will be vetoed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, but he thought a bill allowing stun guns had a chance to become law.

Sebelius has said she favors concealed carry only for retired law enforcement officials.

The bill, as amended by the Senate committee, requires the attorney general's office to issue a concealed-carry permit to any Kansan who pays a $150 application fee and is a U.S. citizen at least 21 years old, has no mental illness or drug or alcohol addiction and completes eight hours of training.

The bill also forbids local governments from opting out of the law or creating tighter restrictions on concealed-carry than are contained in the measure.

Only Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin do not have some type of concealed-carry law.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Well done, Kansans! The nation stands with you.

 

[omega5]

I live in Tennessee, but my brother-in-law is a Kansas State Representative. I've been pushing him as much as possible for several years to vote yes if this ever came up. I emailed him just now and asked how he voted. He mayor may not tell me, but I hope that since he is a Republican that he voted the 2nd Ammendment Right way

 

[bobs1066]

Has anything happened today with HB2798? I think it was to hit the floor of the senate this morning. I've not been able to find any news yet.

 

[omega5]

This is the email my brother-in-law sent me. He's a Kansas state Representative.

"This did pass the House and is now in the Senate. Just heard that the Senate shot some holes in the current bill but we will see. The Governor has stated that she will veto it if it gets to her. So keep tuned."

 

[Standing Wolf]

The Governor has stated that she will veto it if it gets to her.

The governor needs to be handed a set of walking papers.

 

[AZRickD]

Sometimes vetos are not without a political price.

Let her put pen to paper.

See if gunnies punish her and her friends at the polls at the next available opportunity.

Rick

 

[CasualShooter]

Information appears scarce, presently; but, this from the Kansas Legislature Web Site:

http://www.kslegislature.org/cgi-bin/billtrack/index.cgi

Full history of bill 2798

Bill by Ruff, Ballou, Brunk, Burgess, Campbell, Compton, DeCastro, Faber,
Hayzlett, Horst, Huebert, Humerickhouse, Hutchins, Huy, Johnson, E., Kauffman,
Landwehr, Light, Long-Mast, Mason, Mays, McCreary, McLeland, Merrick, Novascone,
Osborne, Ostmeyer, Pauls, Powell, Powers, Sawyer, Schwartz, Tafanelli, Vickrey,
Williams, D., Lane
Personal and family protection act; licensing to carry concealed firearms.
Effective date: St bk.
02/10/2004 H Introduced -HJ 1044
02/11/2004 H Referred to Federal and State Affairs -HJ 1047
02/24/2004 H CR: Be passed as am. by Federal and State Affairs -HJ 1114
03/03/2004 H COW: CR be adptd; be further am.; be passed as am. -HJ 1176;
Engrossed -HJ 1184
03/04/2004 H FA: Passed as am.; Yeas 78 Nays 45 -HJ 1181
03/04/2004 S Received and introduced -SJ 1300
03/05/2004 S Referred to Federal and State Affairs -SJ 1305
03/25/2004 S CR: Be passed as am. by Federal and State Affairs -SJ 1556
03/26/2004 S COW: CR be adptd; be further am.; be passed as am.

From this, it is apparent that the bill was recommended for passage today by the Senate Committee of the Whole with further amendments. The Staff is behind on rewrites and it appears that the latest revision of the bill is not available on their web site yet.

The next step is for the Senate to vote for final passage. And then on to the Governor's Desk.

It would appear that the Senate may be likely to vote for final passage next week.

Keep working your Kansas Senators and Express Your Support -- And if you haven't yet contacted the Governor, NOW is the time to start.