House approves machine gun bill
PUBLISHED: Saturday, March 29, 2008
TOPEKA (AP) — Individuals could own machine guns, other fully automatic firearms, sawed-off shotguns and silencers under a bill the House approved Friday.
Supporters said wealthy collectors are the only people who are likely to take advantage of such a change, because such weapons are expensive. They said machine guns cost between $20,000 and $80,000 each.
The House vote was 105-18. The local House members, Republicans Marc Rhoades of Newton and Don Schroeder of Inman, voted yes to the bill.
The measure is the House’s version of a Senate-passed bill making it a felony to deface or remove serial numbers or other identifying marks on a firearm.
The House’s changes will become an issue when the two chambers negotiate over the final version of the bill.
A House committee wanted to rewrite a state law limiting the possession of silencers, sawed-off shotguns and automatic weapons. In December, the attorney general issued a legal opinion saying part of the law is so restrictive only law enforcement agencies can possess silencers — meaning no dealer can have them in Kansas, even to deliver to those agencies.
In amending the Senate bill, the House committee decided to make it legal for individuals to own silencers, as well as automatic weapons and sawed-off shotguns. They still would have to comply with federal laws requiring background checks.
Gun rights advocates said only a handful of states prohibit individuals from possessing such weapons, but the committee’s work still stirred up concerns about making them more available.
“I started getting a raft of e-mails saying, ‘Are you nuts?”’ said Rep. Ann Mah, a Topeka Democrat.
During the House debate, supporters of the bill acknowledged some people were asking why any individual needed to own such a weapon.
“I don’t pass judgment on why people want to own anything — Mercedeses, mink coats, diamond rings, fully automatic weapons,” said Rep. L. Candy Ruff, a Leavenworth Democrat. •
http://www.thekansan.com/stories/032908/topstories_20080329009.shtml
PUBLISHED: Saturday, March 29, 2008
TOPEKA (AP) — Individuals could own machine guns, other fully automatic firearms, sawed-off shotguns and silencers under a bill the House approved Friday.
Supporters said wealthy collectors are the only people who are likely to take advantage of such a change, because such weapons are expensive. They said machine guns cost between $20,000 and $80,000 each.
The House vote was 105-18. The local House members, Republicans Marc Rhoades of Newton and Don Schroeder of Inman, voted yes to the bill.
The measure is the House’s version of a Senate-passed bill making it a felony to deface or remove serial numbers or other identifying marks on a firearm.
The House’s changes will become an issue when the two chambers negotiate over the final version of the bill.
A House committee wanted to rewrite a state law limiting the possession of silencers, sawed-off shotguns and automatic weapons. In December, the attorney general issued a legal opinion saying part of the law is so restrictive only law enforcement agencies can possess silencers — meaning no dealer can have them in Kansas, even to deliver to those agencies.
In amending the Senate bill, the House committee decided to make it legal for individuals to own silencers, as well as automatic weapons and sawed-off shotguns. They still would have to comply with federal laws requiring background checks.
Gun rights advocates said only a handful of states prohibit individuals from possessing such weapons, but the committee’s work still stirred up concerns about making them more available.
“I started getting a raft of e-mails saying, ‘Are you nuts?”’ said Rep. Ann Mah, a Topeka Democrat.
During the House debate, supporters of the bill acknowledged some people were asking why any individual needed to own such a weapon.
“I don’t pass judgment on why people want to own anything — Mercedeses, mink coats, diamond rings, fully automatic weapons,” said Rep. L. Candy Ruff, a Leavenworth Democrat. •
http://www.thekansan.com/stories/032908/topstories_20080329009.shtml