Kansas Issues First Permits After Passing Concealed-Carry Law

On January 3, 2007, the State of Kansas began issuing permits to the first wave of Kansas residents eligible to carry concealed weapons after the law went into effect Monday. Kansas is the 47th state to pass the law. The permits availability was delayed by one day due to the federal day of mourning for former President Gerald Ford.

Laura Bauer and Benita Y. Williams of The Kansas City Star reported that the majority of permits, 950, were issued in Sedgwick County, that in which Wichita is located. Johnson County followed with 764, Leavenworth County with 205, Douglas County with 142, and Miami County with 122, based on information provided by the Kansas Attorney General. Those 2,981 individuals having received their permits had applied by October 31st. Those who had applied later will be waiting at least a few weeks for notification. More than 4,800 have applied. Attorney General Phill Kline has approved a sign to be hung by businesses that don't want concealed weapons allowed on their premises. Nor will they be allowed in schools, libraries, government buildings, courtrooms, bars, sporting events, or places of worship. The law provides that anyone seeking the permit must pass a background check and take a training course that includes breaking down and cleaning the weapon and firing the gun properly. They also learn when a shooting is justified. This is an eight hour course. (Source: Kansas City Star, Wednesday, January 3, 2007.)

Florida was the first state to issue the permits and some study of the consequence has occurred since. The findings are that violent crime has decreased significant, but there has been an increase in property crime, according to author John Lott of "More Guns, Less Crime." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concealed_carry) The National Rifle Association (NRA) also reports lower crime with increased Right to Carry (RTC) laws in states. (http://www.nraila.org/Issues/factsheets/read.aspx?ID=18)