Licensed gun owners in Kansas will now be allowed to bring their concealed weapons into Johnson County public libraries. The expansion of the concealed carry law passed in July by a wide margin in both the Senate and the House. But, the library system was granted a six-month extension to explore increased security, which expired on Jan. 1.
Republican state representative Stephanie Clayton opposed the law. And Clayton says due to the nature of the bill, library staff members cannot ask if a patron is carrying a weapon.
"We have as of yet to see a violent crime that was committed by a concealed carry holder, so I’m hoping that we’ve got responsible citizens who are keeping track of their firearms while they’re in our libraries," says Clayton. "Indeed, if this works the way that a lot of the proponents of the bill wanted it to work we won’t see any change."
To date, more than 70,000 concealed carry licenses have been issued in Kansas. Before the law passed, concealed guns were banned in courthouses, state offices, and other public buildings.
