With just three days left before the General Assembly goes into its 10-day veto recess, there was a flurry of action on bills, which in the Senate included measures to lower the minimum age for concealed carry and lowering the age at which a driver’s permit can be issued.
Senate Bill 75,sponsored by Sen. Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville, would lower the age requirement for carrying a concealed deadly weapon from 21 to 18.
In presenting the bill, Reed said, “The question before us is simple: should responsible law abiding 18-year-olds be allowed to e3xercise their Second Amendment right to self-defense? I believe the answer is unequivocally yes. At 18-years-old, our young men and women are considered legal adults in nearly every way. They can vote to choose the leaders who govern them, they can sign contracts, take out loans, they can buy homes, they can marry an start families, they can serve in our military, where we entrust them with firearms, tanks and fighter jets in defense of our nation. Yet, under current law, an 18-year-old, who can be deployed to a war zone with a rifle, cannot legally carry a concealed handgun for personal protection in Kentucky.”
He said that is not just illogical, it is unjust. “The Second Amendment is clear, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
Sen. Keturah Herron, D-Louisville, said she had some issues with the bill. “With the among of gun violence that we have in our communities, what I am afraid of is, if we have more individuals being able to carry and conceal, what will that do to our law enforcement? Will it put them in more harm? “
The bill was approved 26-11 and now heads to the House.
Another measure clearing the Senate was House Bill 15, which lowers from 16 to 15, the minimum age at which someone can get their learners permit for driving.
The legislation, sponsored by House Majority Leader Steve Rudy, R-Paducah, would still require the permit holder to hold it for at least 180 days and be at least 16 years of age before they could take the test for an intermediate driver’s license. The intermediate license holder would also have to be held for a minimum of 180 days and complete a driver training course, before applying for a regular operator’s license.
It passed 36-1, but must return to the House, where members will have to decide if they agree with Senate changes.
(Photo: State Sen. Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville)
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
