Kansas Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Applaud Gov. Kelly for Vetoing Dangerous Bill to Let Teenagers, People from Other States Carry Hidden, Loaded Guns in Public

The Kansas chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, the grassroots networks of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement after Governor Laura Kelly vetoed HB 2058, a bill that would automatically let people with carry permits from other states — including untrained people and even some with dangerous histories — carry concealed handguns in public in Kansas. HB 2058 would have also allowed 18-, 19-, 20- year olds to obtain permits to carry concealed handguns in public, including carrying inside school grounds and on college campuses, and it would make it harder to keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals. 

“Rather than put our communities at risk, the governor stood up for our safety,” said Tonya Boyd, a volunteer leader with the Kansas chapter of Moms Demand Action and Survivor Fellow with the Everytown Survivor Network. “This bill would not have benefitted any Kansans, and we’re thankful that Governor Kelly saw its extreme nature. Gun violence is an epidemic in Kansas and across the country, and we need meaningful action to address the gun violence in our state – not bills that make it easier to carry hidden, loaded guns in public.”

“In a state with a gun violence crisis, the last thing we needed was a bill to let teenagers carry hidden, loaded weapons in public,” said Sophia Steffensmeier, a volunteer with Students Demand Action in Kansas. “Governor Kelly protected all of us by rejecting this ridiculous bill. I feel safer today in our state knowing that we have a governor who is offering young Kansans more than thoughts and prayers, she’s taking proactive steps to fight for gun safety.”

What to know about HB 2058, which would have automatically let people with permits from other states carry concealed handguns in Kansas:

• HB 2058 would have let people with permits from other states carry concealed handguns into Kansas.
  • This bill contained a dangerous gun lobby-backed proposal to automatically allow people with permits from other states to carry hidden, loaded handguns in Kansas communities — even if they would be ineligible for Kansas permits.
  • 14 states issue concealed carry permits to teenagers, who are not eligible to carry concealed handguns in public under current Kansas law. Of those states, 10 allow certain convicted stalkers to obtain permits; nine fail to require live-fire handgun safety training; and six issue permits to many violent misdemeanor offenders.
  • It would automatically allow people with permits from other states—including teenagers, certain convicted stalkers, and people who have never fired a handgun—to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public throughout Kansas.
• HB 2058 would have allowed Kansas teenagers to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public.
  • Under current Kansas law, 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds cannot legally carry hidden, loaded handguns in public. But HB 2058 would allow teenagers to obtain permits to carry concealed handguns throughout the state.
  • 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at a rate nearly four times higher than adults 21 and older.
  • This bill would allow teenagers to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public, undermining the common sense laws that keep Kansas communities safe when people carry concealed firearms in public.

Statistics about gun violence in Kansas are available here, and Everytown’s Gun Law Navigator – which shows how Kansas gun laws compare to those of other states – is available here.