Tell Governor Colyer to Keep Our Children Safe by opposing the lowering of concealed carry age to 18 and supporting denying firearms to domestic abusers. Call his Office of Constituent Services / Government Affairs at 785-368-8500.

With the deadliest school shooting in Parkland, Florida, it is imperative our elected officials put solutions into action, especially our new governor.

Although the Florida shooter is 19 years old, we, as a public, must agree that lowering the age of any type of carry to 18 is idiotic. Yes, Kansas currently allows 18-year-olds to purchase firearms, but they have to leave it at home. HB2042 would embolden a teenager to carry a firearm near high schools and on college campuses.

We also found out the shooter had a history of abusing women. HB2145 would deny firearms to such a person.

Background


Two pieces of gun legislation, HB2145 and HB2042, are currently in the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs. Along with the Northeast Chapter of the Brady Campaign and Grandparents Against Gun Violence, Indivisible KC gave oral testimony opposing HB2042 at the hearing Tuesday, February 13. We also submitted 24 written testimonies.

At the same hearing, HB2145 went unopposed.


HB2145, which denies firearms to domestic abusers, will help law enforcement in our state, who deal with domestic violence situations involving guns, better protect women and families from their abusers. Research by the Giffords Law Center has revealed:

• Abused women are five times more likely to be killed by their abuser if the abuser owns a firearm.
• More than two-thirds of spouse and ex-spouse homicide victims between 1980 and 2008 were killed with firearms.
• In 2011, nearly two-thirds of women killed with guns were killed by their intimate partners.

HB2042, the concealed carry reciprocity bill:

• lowers the age to 18 for conceal carry with the requirement that they have training and a permit.
• requires training and a permit for all individuals who conceal carry on college campuses across Kansas.

We oppose this bill, specifically because it lowers the age of conceal carry to 18 from the current age of 21.