March 24, 2010

The Kansas House has narrowly approved a bill that would allow Kansans to carry concealed guns into more public buildings.

The vote Wednesday was 65-57 and sent the bill to the Senate. The chief sponsor, Republican Rep. Forrest Knox, of Altoona, said he doubts the Senate will have enough time this year to consider the measure.

Under the measure, cities, counties and the state couldn't prohibit people with concealed carry permits from bringing guns into buildings unless those buildings had "adequate" security, such as metal detectors.

The National Rifle Association supported the bill. Knox said it was about trusting law-abiding citizens.

But state and local officials strongly opposed it, saying they'd have to weigh installing expensive metal detectors against allowing concealed weapons.