Fiona Morgan, News Editor
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin signed Senate Bill 150 into law on March 11, allowing Kentucky residents to carry a concealed firearm or other weapon without a permit. The law applies to those 21 and older already eligible to carry a firearm.
Signed ten days after it passed through the House with a 60-37 vote, Senate Bill 150 will go into effect on June 26. “I’m a conceal-carry gun owner, and so are many in Kentucky now,” Bevin told news station WKYT. “You will not need to go through a process and get a license and permission in order to have your 2nd Amendment right.”
Previously, one had to complete training courses and pass a background check to receive a concealed carry permit. Residents eligible to own a firearm are allowed to openly carry, but the law allows them to cover it, such as with an outer garment. Kentucky is the 13th state to allow concealed carry weapons without a permit, according to Giffords Law Center.
Several organizations have expressed concerns over the bill, including the Kentucky State Fraternal Order of Police. “Our concerns over this bill were, in particular, the need for the general public to know what to do if encountering law enforcement while armed,” the organization wrote on its Facebook page March 1.
The post continued, “As cops we train meticulously and would encourage citizens to do so as well before handling a firearm, in order to ensure safety. We would also encourage citizens to remember FOP when stopped. Firearm — let us know if you have a firearm and don’t reach for it, Obey — do what the officer asks of you, Precision — make all moves very direct and tell us what you are doing.”
Others argue that the law could increase gun violence in Kentucky cities. The Courier Journal reported that only two of the 23 House members who live in Jefferson or Fayette County — where Louisville and Lexington are located — voted for the bill. Supporters emphasize that the bill applies only to law-abiding citizens and would protect them from criminals who already carry concealed weapons.
“For those people who are offended at this idea and don’t like it, there are other places in America where they could live and/or they can learn to live with what they don’t like in their own immediate state,” Bevin told WKYT.
On Asbury University’s campus, however, this law does not apply. “Firearms or other weapons are not permitted on campus,” according to Asbury’s website. “Individuals who have weapons for hunting, etc., must store them off campus.”