KC adopts “open carry” law to conform to state law

The Kansas City Council on Thursday adopted an “open carry” gun ordinance to conform to the state law passed by the Missouri General Assembly.

This summer, the council had passed a law banning the open carry of firearms, with members saying they didn’t want people provocatively displaying weapons on the Country Club Plaza and elsewhere. The council voted for the ban while Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto was in place for a law passed during the last legislative session.

But in September, the legislature overrode the governor’s veto and the new state law took effect. It prohibits cities from completely banning the open carry of firearms. Instead, anyone with a valid concealed-carry permit is allowed to openly carry a gun. The law also reduced the minimum age allowed for a concealed-carry permit from 21 to 19.

Councilman John Sharp, chairman of the council’s public safety committee, said that if the council did not pass its own municipal ordinance on Thursday, that would mean anyone in the city could openly carry. He said that by requiring people to have a concealed-carry permit, that at least assures that the person has had a background check and gun-safety training.

Permit holders are supposed to carry their permits at all times and display them when law enforcement requests. Failure to produce a permit upon request can result in a city fine of $35, plus city court costs of $48.50.

This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 5:16 PM with the headline "KC adopts “open carry” law to conform to state law."