Senate gives final passage to firearms legislation
Sen. Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville, speaks Friday on the Senate floor on House Bill 312, which relates to concealed firearms and deadly weapons. A high-resolution photo can be found here.
FRANKFORT — After debate on the Senate floor, legislators gave final passage to a bill Friday that would create a provisional concealed carry license for Kentuckians who are 18-20 years old, among other provisions.
Sen. Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville, said House Bill 312 would require applicants to undergo a background check and firearms usage and legal training in full compliance with existing eligibility standards. The bill would not change purchase requirements for anyone 18-20 years old.
“Last session, this body passed Senate Bill 75, constitutional carry. It easily passed this freedom-loving Senate body, but it did not move in the House,” he said. “This year, House Bill 312 brings a more structured approach that I believe to be a fair compromise in the interest of serving our people.”
Reed said the legislation is a “responsible step forward,” and the provisional license is similar to a standard conceal carry license. The key difference is that it is valid only in Kentucky, while a standard license includes reciprocity with many other states, he said.
Reed said the bill is a “good faith step forward” that gives young adults a lawful path to exercise their rights. He pointed out that young people can join the military when they are 18 years old, and the bill would allow the same adults to carry responsibly at home.
“This matters because every adult deserves the right to defend themselves, especially our daughters who today are often left without that clear protection,” he said.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reginald L. Thomas, D-Lexington, spoke against the bill, noting that over the last two years, there has been a significant reduction in crime across the commonwealth and in the state’s major urban areas.
“In Louisville, in the last two years, violent crime is down 30%. The murder rate in Louisville is down about 25%. In the city of Lexington, violent crime is down over 50%. The murder rate is down about 40%,” he said.
Thomas said young adults hang out with younger children, and he expressed concern about the duration of training.
He also said the firearms training service members receive is not comparable to the “undefined amount” of training in the bill. The service members learn how to use a weapon properly, carefully and accurately, he said.
Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, also voted against the measure.
“I love freedom. I support the constitution. I support the Second Amendment, but there are simply some things that are better off left alone, and this is one of those things,” he said.
But Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, argued that Kentucky has an open carry law now that doesn’t require training.
“At least this bill adds background checks, mandates training and it is a provisional license only to be used in Kentucky,” he said.
Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, said he has 18-year-old granddaughters, and any 18-year-old can open carry now in Kentucky. But it would be safer for his granddaughters to carry a weapon in their purses, he said.
“And they can protect themselves from those 15-, 16-, 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds that are carrying concealed right now, against the law,” he said.
The bill now heads to the governor’s desk.
