Kentucky Joins Ranks Of Constitutional Carry States

by Tom Knighton: The state of Kentucky formally joins the ranks of states who recognize one very simple fact. They understand that criminals are going to carry guns no matter what, so infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens makes no sense whatsoever.

In other words, they're a constitutional carry state now.

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin signed a bill to change gun laws in the Commonwealth.

Bevin signed the NRA-backed measure, Senate Bill 150, into law Monday. It allows anyone who is legally allowed to own a gun, and is at least 21-years-old, to carry a concealed weapon without a permit in the state of Kentucky.

Supporters said the bill reinforces Kentuckians' constitutional rights to bear arms. Critics have voiced concerns about safety and lack of training.It should be noted that a number of states lack a training requirement and haven't had one for decades. You know what they also don't have? A whole lot of unjustified shootings.

Among the first to congratulate the Blue Grass State was the Gun Owners of America who sent out a press release:

GOA Welcomes Kentucky to the Constitutional Carry Club!

Springfield, VA — Gun Owners of America (GOA) today congratulated the people of Kentucky, after Gov. Matt Bevin signed legislation bringing permitless carry to the Bluegrass State. Kentucky is now the 17th state to adopt Constitutional Carry.

"We are very grateful to Gov. Matt Bevin for signing GOA-supported legislation allowing citizens to carry concealed without seeking prior permission from the government," GOA Executive Director Erich Pratt said. "And I want to thank all the GOA activists who spoke up in support of this bill, as well."

Gun Owners of America mobilized the grassroots in the state in favor of SB 150 — and some of the GOA alerts are viewable here, here and here.

Kentucky is the third state to enact Constitutional Carry this year. South Dakota joined the Constitutional Carry club in January, and Oklahoma followed in February. GOA actively pushed both bills in South Dakota and Oklahoma.

"Gun Owners of America has been a vocal supporter of Gov. Bevin," Pratt said. "And his actions today demonstrate that he is a firm defender of the Second Amendment."

The Bluegrass State now joins the other 16 Constitutional Carry states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming — and most of Montana. By comparison, there was only one permitless carry state in 2000 — that being Vermont.

Erich Pratt, or another GOA spokesman, is available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over 2 million members and activists.For what it's worth, I'm thrilled to see it. Kentucky represents yet another state with the good sense to stop treating law-abiding citizens as subjects beholden to the government to exercise a constitutional right. Now, anyone legally allowed to own a gun can carry a firearm without that government permission.

The streets of Kentucky will be safer, though I suspect the anti-gunners in the state will never acknowledge it. Instead, they'll pretend their false predictions were never made — as per usual with them.
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Tom Knighton is a Navy veteran, a former newspaperman, a novelist, and a blogger at Bearing Arms. He lives with his family in Southwest Georgia.

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