Bill allowing concealed guns with no permit advances despite pleas of moms and police

Anita Franklin of Lexington told state lawmakers Wednesday how her 21-year-old son, Antonio Franklin, was killed in “a senseless act of gun violence” during crossfire between teens in a Lexington park in April 2014. He was a sophomore in college.

She was testifying against a controversial bill in this year’s state legislature that would allow Kentuckians to carry concealed weapons without a permit and training. “All concealed weapons should have a permit,” she said.

Louisville Police Major William Hibbs told the legislators how the police department of the state’s largest city opposes Senate Bill 150, which is backed by the National Rifle Association, saying it would increase violent crime.

And Karl Stankovic, a LaRue County gun instructor, hunter and member of the Kentucky chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, warned members of the House Judiciary Committee that the bill will endanger police and the public.

Members of the committee listened intently to the testimony for and against the bill. Advocates for the measure included NRA state director Art Thomm and John Lott Jr., a national gun rights advocate and contributor for FoxNews.com. They said it was needed to protect people.

When it came time to vote on the bill, 12 lawmakers on the committee voted for it, eight said no and three did not vote.

Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, voted against the bill. He said he has a permit to carry a gun and thinks persons who carry a concealed weapon should have training.

Rep. Kimberly Moser, a Republican gun owner and NRA member from Independence, did not vote. She said she was “really conflicted” about the bill since it does not provide training.

The vote sent the bill, sponsored by Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, to the full House for its consideration. If the House approves it with no changes, it would go to Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, who could sign it into law, veto the bill or allow it to become law without his signature.

Bevin’s communications office did not respond to a question about his views on the bill.

Rep. Savannah Maddox, R-Dry Ridge, presented the bill in the House committee. She predicted that it will win strong support in the House and will become law.

Kentucky would become the 15th state in the nation to allow people to carry a concealed gun without obtaining a permit. It also would eliminate the background checks on gun owners that are tied to the permitting process.

Under current law, a person who wants to carry a concealed gun must first pass a state police background check. Once a permit is issued state police conduct background checks every 30 days.

The bill states that people age 21 or older who are able to lawfully possess a firearm may carry concealed firearms or other concealed deadly weapons without a license in the same locations as people with valid state-issued licenses.

People would not be able to carry or possess any deadly weapon where it is prohibited by federal law.

Connie Coartney of Oldham County, a volunteer state leader of Moms Demand Action, said she believes most lawmakers in the Republican-led House and Senate favor the bill because of “the pressure the NRA exerts on them” with campaign contributions and potential political opponents.

Art Thomm, with the NRA, said Kentuckians now can carry guns openly but need a permit if it is concealed. “You’re making it a crime to carry just because someone is wearing a coat and the gun is not in plain sight,” he said.

Franklin, the Lexington mother, said after the committee vote that she will continue to fight against the bill.

She showed the lawmakers a picture of her son, saying she would have preferred to show them a photo of him graduating from college or getting married.

“Antonio is with God but I’m advocating for the next potential victim or victims,” she said to the lawmakers. “I sit before you and ask you to put a stop to 150. You have the power to do that.”

After the meeting, Maddox said “no law is going to stop somebody from using deadly force against another person if they have it in their heart to do that.

“Moreover, training is not something that’s going to create causation or correlation to that, in my opinion.”