Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill ensuring consistent gun rights across the entire state and prohibiting city and county government from enacting restrictions that are more severe than state laws.
AP
“Kansans have long believed the right to bear arms is a constitutional right,” Brownback, a Republican, said in a statement, the Kansas City Star.
But some of the local governments are annoyed by the passage.
Melissa Wangemann, legal counsel for the Kansas Association of Counties, said, “I have plenty of counties who are very pro-Second Amendment and can easily decide on their own to open the courthouse to concealed carry and allow employees to carry.”
She was also concerned about public employees having firearms in public buildings.
“We talked about if you’re firing an employee, the employer might like to know if the employee is packing heat at the time you’re firing them,” Wangemann said, according to the Topeka Capitol Journal.
The law, which takes effect July 1, also ditches local restrictions on open carry and prevents municipalities from restricting gun sales. The National Rifle Association called it a model for protecting Second Amendment rights at the local level.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, also a Republican, vetoed similar legislation earlier this week.
Also this week, Georgia's Republican Gov. Nathan Deal signed a bill to allow the residents of the state to carry guns into bars without restrictions, as well as some schools, churches and government buildings under certain circumstances.
(H/T: Topeka Capitol Journal)
