Who is snubbing whom on guns?

Wichita City Council member Sharon Fearey was justifiably irritated that city staff didn’t give the council enough time to study the state’s new gun law before it goes into effect July 1. “This has put us all in a tough position,” she said at Tuesday’s meeting.
The new law standardized gun transportation rules throughout a the state, which is a good idea. But it goes too far in also wiping out all other local gun laws, including Wichita’s ordinance that voters upheld in 1994.
Mayor Carlos Mayans warned council members not to snub local lawmakers by contesting the new law. After considerable discussion, the council agreed. But what about the lawmakers snubbing the will of local voters and the principle of local control?
And was there any reason other than political calculation that caused Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to sign this law?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

4 Comments

  1. Kelly
    Posted June 23, 2005 at 8:03 am | Permalink

    The Council didn’t have to do anything. The City ordinances are just as dead – to the extent inconsistent with the new state law – whether they are taken off the ordinance books or not. The WPD was obviously not going to enforce an ordinance that had been deemed null and void by state law.

  2. Joe Williams
    Posted June 23, 2005 at 8:15 am | Permalink

    State trumps manucipalities. Nothing they can do.

  3. Nathan
    Posted June 23, 2005 at 8:47 am | Permalink

    Exactly what part of this ordinance passed in 1994 is so precious?

  4. Chris Bruster
    Posted June 24, 2005 at 2:01 am | Permalink

    I feel as though a standardized transportation law is an excellent idea. It is a hassle to ensure that you abide by every city’s ordinance that you may travel through. I am a gun advocate and also feel that Wichita’s current gun laws in general do nothing except inhibit people from being able to protect themselves.