Home » Ky. House panel passes bill allowing off-duty and retired officers to carry concealed weapons

Ky. House panel passes bill allowing off-duty and retired officers to carry concealed weapons

Would be allowed to carry concealed weapons in same locations as on-duty officers

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 2, 2016) — The Kentucky House Judiciary Committee today passed a bill that allows off-duty and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons in the same locations as on-duty officers.

Rep. Steve Riggs (D-Louisville) said he filed House Bill 314 at the request of the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office in response to a situation in which off-duty officers were prohibited from carrying concealed weapons into a Louisville Palace event. Such situations are especially problematic in Louisville where, Riggs said, police officers are required to carry their weapons both on-duty and off.

Riggs said HB 314 clarifies current law that allows Kentucky law enforcement officers to concealed carry whether or not they are on-duty officers, retired officers, or off-duty officers authorized to concealed carry by their employer.

“There are many people who have had their lives spared because an off-duty police officer or retired police officer was able to deescalate or neutralize a threat,” said Rep. Robert Benvenuti (R-Lexington) who voted in support of the bill.

Voting against the bill was Rep. Mary Lou Marzian (D-Louisville) who said carrying a gun “gives a false sense of security.”

“It just encourages and proliferates more violence in our society,” she said.

HB 314, which is also sponsored by Rep. Charles Miller, (D-Louisville) now goes to the full House for consideration.