The Second Amendment Protection Act is now law in the state of Kansas. The measure, signed by Gov. Sam Brownback this week, appears to be a preemptive strike against against any new gun control regulations from Washington .
The new law that protects gun rights in Kansas stipulates that “Any act, law, treaty, order, rule or regulation of the government of the United States which violates the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is null, void and unenforceable in the state of Kansas.”
The law also rules out any federal attempts to ban magazines, ammunition, or certain weapons within the borders of Kansas.
According to one of the law’s proponents , “The new Kansas law stands as the strongest and most sweeping defense of the right to keep and bear arms in the entire country so far.”
In general, it would be very difficult for the feds to enforce any new gun control measures without the cooperation of state and local law enforcement in a particular state or states.
In passing the Second Amendment Protection, Kansas is reasserting its rights under the 10th Amendment in the relationship between the federal and state government as well. That amendment reads “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States, respectively, or to the people.” The founders in general felt that the central government should be limited by the enumerated (i.e., listed) powers described in the Constitution rather than being all-powerful and that the states individually should run most things within their borders.
One of the state lawmakers who sponsored the bill indicated that the Second Amendment Protection Act also has an economic component. “It creates a stark contrast with our neighbors in Colorado. I consider it a pro-job growth bill because of it encouraging the large gun manufacturers or those who make gun components to move to Kansas.”
Gov. Brownback , who took office in 2011 (and prior to that served as US Senator) also signed a law that allows public schools and colleges to have designated employees carry concealed weapons and loosened restrictions in the future for carrying guns in public buildings.
What do you think of the news gun rights laws enacted in Kansas?
