Fairfax, Va. – The National Rifle
Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) applauds Kansas
Governor Sam Brownback for today signing into law Senate Bill 45, NRA-backed legislation that expands Kansas permitless open carry to included permitless concealed carry.
"On behalf of the NRA's five-million members, we want to
thank Governor Brownback and Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce for
their leadership on this critical issue," said Chris W. Cox, Executive
Director of the NRA-ILA. "This new law is a common sense measure that
allows law-abiding Kansans to exercise their fundamental right to
self-protection in the manner that best suits their needs."
Kansans already have the right to carry a firearm openly
without a permit, as long as they are not prohibited by law from
possessing a firearm. However, under current law, if a firearm becomes
covered by a coat or if a woman prefers to carry a firearm for
protection in her purse, he or she would need a concealed carry handgun
license. The new law simply extends permitless open carry to permitless
concealed carry, allowing law-abiding gun owners to protect themselves
and their loved ones in the manner that best suits their needs. Kansas’
permitting system remains the same under the new law. People who obtain
permits still enjoy the reciprocity agreements that Kansas has with
other states.
The bill passed the legislature with overwhelming support
despite efforts by billionaire Michael Bloomberg's out-of-state gun
control lobbyist to defeat the legislation through a misinformation
campaign.
In the three states that have adopted permitless carry
laws similar to Kansas' law, murder rates have gone down; declining by
23 percent in Alaska, 16 percent in Arizona, and eight percent in
Wyoming.
