Gun, hunting laws could change under this 2024 Kentucky legislation

Lock Smith

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An LMPD detective walks under police tape Monday afternoon on Main Street. Five people were shot and killed, with six injured including an LMPD officer at Old National Bank Monday morning. April 9, 2023

A slate of gun-centric bills has been introduced in the Kentucky legislature within the first few weeks of the 2024 session. While some lawmakers want to add or strengthen penalties for gun-related crimes, others are interested in expanding access in hunting or carrying concealed weapons for gun owners.

As Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg recently asked state legislators for help on curbing Louisville’s gun violence, here’s a breakdown of each bill that could lead to a change in Kentucky’s gun laws:

Mandatory reporting of gun, ammunition theft

Senate Bill 56 aims to create penalties for those who don’t properly secure their firearms and those who fail to report their stolen firearm or ammunition.

SB 56 is sponsored by Minority Floor Leader Gerald Neal, D-Louisville. The bill requires the gun owner or another person in lawful possession of a firearm to report it stolen to law enforcement within 24 hours of discovering the theft. As part of the proposed legislation, any person who sells ammunition is also required to report their loss within the same time window of discovery.

The theft report should contain, “if known, the caliber, make, model, manufacturer’s name, and serial number, if any, and any other distinguishing number or identification mark on the firearm, or the make, type, and caliber of the ammunition.”

The law enforcement agency would then be required to relay that information to the National Crime Information Center database.

Any person who failed to report a loss or theft could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, as described in this bill.

The bill also makes failure to properly lock up and secure firearms a Class A misdemeanor.

According to the bill, a firearm owner or custodian is required to secure the weapon in a “safe storage depository,” which is incapable of being opened without a key, combination, or other unlocking mechanism, or renders it incapable of being fired through an appropriate gun-locking device.

Thousands of guns have been stolen in Louisville over the years, with nearly 10,000 reported stolen between 2014 and 2019 — an average of four thefts every day.

Concealed carry on college campuses and in government buildings

Senate Bill 66 intends to expand people’s ability to carry concealed weapons in government buildings and college campuses.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Adrienne Southworth, R-Lawrenceburg, would amend state law to remove the authority of a college, university, or any postsecondary education facility to control or limit possessing a deadly weapon on any property owned or controlled by that agency or organization.

The bill would also remove the right of the legislative body of a state, city, county, or urban-county government to restrict or prohibit carrying concealed deadly weapons inside a building that is owned, leased or controlled by the government.

She introduced a similar bill last year that died in committee.

Penalty for illegal gun possession by a minor

House Bill 98 seeks to bump up the penalty for the crime of possessing a handgun while under the age of 18. The bill, sponsored by Sen. DJ Johnson, R-Owensboro, would classify the first offense as a Class D felony and each subsequent offense would be a Class C felony

In current law, possession of a handgun by a minor is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense; it then becomes a Class D felony for each subsequent offense.

Hunting, fishing license requirements

A few bills are aimed at revising the state’s hunting and fishing license requirements for people who actually own the land.

Current law, which was changed just last year, states people can be cited if they are found to be fishing or hunting on their own property without the proper license. Before this change, people were exempt from a license requirement if the activity was done on their own land. Now, the current restriction says the landowner or resident must have a permit unless their property is five or more acres.

SB 5 – which has Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, as a co-sponsor – wants to eliminate that requirement.

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Two bills filed in the House – House Bills 106 and 140 – are also seeking to remove that land size caveat. HB 106 expands the proposed exemption further by adding that anyone fishing on private property with the consent of the landowner does not have to have a fishing license.

Meanwhile, Senate Bill 60, sponsored by Sen. Gary Boswell (R-Owensboro) – seeks to eliminate the requirement of taking an education course before being granted a hunting license.

Kentucky’s hunter education law requires all license-required hunters, with some exceptions, born on or after 1975 to pass a hunter education course and carry the course completion card when hunting, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Reach reporter Rachel Smith atrksmith@courierjournal.com or @RachelSmithNews on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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