Even before Kansas had a concealed-carry law, the 2005 Legislature tried to ensure that locals couldn’t restrict gun rights more tightly than the state. Now, though, some cities are putting their own spin on concealed-carry, following the League of Kansas Municipalities’ view that cities, like other property owners, can opt not to allow concealed handguns in their workplaces and on their property. Wichita “makes the carrying of a concealed weapon by any of its nonpolice employees while in the course of city duties a violation, continuing the long-standing city policy,” according to its legal department. And Hutchinson decided to bar concealed handguns in city-owned buildings or parks. Not surprisingly, all this municipal second-guessing has state Sen. Phil Journey, R-Haysville, promising more legislative action. “It sets hundreds of legal traps for permit holders across the state,” he told The Eagle editorial board.
Meanwhile, concealed-carry supporters are pointing to a recent robbery attempt of a Topeka convenience store that was thwarted by an Oklahoma permit holder as evidence of the law’s positive impact.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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