TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas gun rights supporters are pushing to lower the age for concealed carry of firearms from 21 to 18. Representative Blake Carpenter and a Kansas State Rifle Association lobbyist on Wednesday told a state house committee that Kansans under 21 already are allowed to carry guns openly but are breaking the law if they put on a coat to cover a holster.
Gun safety advocates criticized the bill, saying younger people have less developed decision making abilities.
Permit holders would have to complete a background check and undergo gun safety training.
A similar bill was proposed in 2019, in an effort to cover a cap within Kansas’ concealed carry reciprocity agreements. Because Kansas recognizes permits from other states, there are cases where a person under 21 from another state could legally carry a concealed gun, while a Kansas resident under 21 could not. This bill got out of the House but died in the Senate.
