Kansas Officials Resist Calls To Rewrite Gun Laws

Members of the all-Republican Kansas congressional delegation and officials in the GOP-dominated state government are resisting calls to tighten access to firearms following the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school earlier this month.

So far, no prominent Kansas elected official who’s strongly supported gun rights has backed away from positions that have brought him or her support from the National Rifle Association.

Officials in both Washington and Topeka say they want to examine services for the mentally ill and have expressed concern about what they see as a violent culture. The Legislature is unlikely to restrict access to firearms.

Some GOP officeholders are urging caution. They argue that it’s too early to talk about policy changes so close to the horrific events in Newtown, Conn.