Kentucky House Passes Dangerous Bill to Nullify Federal Gun Laws Despite Objections from Law Enforcement

The Kentucky chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement in response to the Kentucky House of Representatives passing HB 29, a bill that would make it illegal for any public officer or employee of the state, including state and local law enforcement officers, to assist with the enforcement of federal gun laws that help keep Kentucky safe. Law enforcement in Kentucky have spoken out against the bill. HB 29 will now be sent to the Senate.

“Lawmakers know that this bill would do nothing but make law enforcement’s efforts to combat gun violence in Kentucky even harder, and voted in favor of it anyways,” said Cathy Hobart, a volunteer with the Kentucky chapter of Moms Demand Action. “If law enforcement’s jobs are hampered, we all suffer. Our state’s leaders should be working in the interests of Kentuckians, not actively endangering them. We urge the Senate to reject this harmful bill.”

In other states that have passed similar policies — most recently in Missouri — law enforcement have expressed that the policy has made it much more difficult for state and local law enforcement to do their jobs, filing letters and even a lawsuit from 60 police chiefs in Missouri in opposition to the law. 
In an average year in Kentucky, 770 people die by guns and 1,036 people are wounded. Gun violence costs Kentucky $4.9 billion each year, of which $181.1 million is paid by taxpayers. According to Everytown’s new gun law rankings report, Kentucky has some of the weakest gun laws in the country. More information on gun violence in Kentucky is available here.