Sam Brownback, the governor of Kansas signed a bill last week that will prohibit non-school public employers from placing restrictions on employees that have the right to conceal carry legally.
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Previously, county, city and state workers were allowed to carry weapons in government buildings under broad conditions but were not allowed to have the weapon on them in their public vehicle. With proposal HB2502, public employers will now be allowed to.
In Kansas, the bill passed with a vote of 92-28 in favor in the House and 32-6 in favor in the state Senate.
“To say that our public employees, that we’re worried about them and that we don’t trust them is an insult to them,” said Sen. Forrest Knox, R-Altoona, the Hays Daily News reported. “We obviously trust them. We obviously have confidence in them. That’s why they’re doing their job. This just allows them to protect themselves if it’s needed.” “Why should a public employer be able to require their employees to be defenseless when they’re outside on the job?” Knox said.
Rep. Annie Tietze, D-Topeka, is an opponent of the bill and pointed out that Kansas eliminated background checks and training requirements that would allow a person to conceal carry. “That means these people have no requirements. They can just carry a gun,” she said. While making up a hypothetical situation, she stated that a person that is allowed to check on a person’s new deck would be allowed to carry a gun.
“I’m not saying that any of these people aren’t capable. I’m just saying we don’t know for all of these people that they should be handling guns and they will be allowed on your private property,” Tietze said.
The new bill will also allow air guns on campus, but only if they are to be used during an event.
The law will take effect starting July 1.
