The Kentucky House of Representatives passed legislation Friday to eliminate the state’s requirement to obtain a permit in order to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense.
The House passed the legislation by a vote of 60-37.
Breitbart News reported that the Senate passed the same legislation in mid-February by a vote of 29-8.
The Hill reports that the legislation would allow law-abiding Kentuckians 21-years-old and older to carry a gun for self-defense without first getting documentation from the state. Permits would still be available, for those who want the reciprocity benefits, but they would not be required for the purposes of being armed for self-defense.
The push to eliminate the concealed carry permit requirement rests on the sufficiency of the Second Amendment right to bear arms. State Rep. John Blanton (R) said, “This is simply applying and acting upon a constitutional right that each and every one of us has.”
If Gov. Matt Bevin (R) signs the legislation Kentucky will become the 16th state to allow residents to carry concealed without a permit for self-defense. The other 15 states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Vermont.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.
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