Kansas Lawmakers Consider Expanded Gun Rights

Kansas legislators are considering new gun-rights proposals to strip cities and counties of any power to regulate guns and limit local programs to buy guns back from their owners.

The House Federal and State Affairs Committee scheduled a Thursday morning hearing on a sweeping bill containing the new measures.

The bill would prohibit cities and counties from enacting bans on the open carrying of firearms and prevent them from spending tax dollars to administer firearms buyback programs. Besides stripping cities and counties of the power to set gun policies, the bill declares existing ordinances void.

The proposal follows enactment of a state law last year declaring that the federal government has no power to regulate guns manufactured, sold and kept only in Kansas.