New concealed carry policy moving forward at UG

A Unified Government committee tonight approved a change in a human resources policy that would allow public employees to conceal carry firearms when they are not inside UG buildings.

The new policy adopts a state law that will go into effect July 1 allowing public employees to conceal carry when they are on the job in areas other than offices and public buildings.

A final vote on the new policy is scheduled at the UG full Commission meeting June 30.

The new law, House Bill 2502, mandates that concealed carry be allowed. The UG Commission did not support the law change when it went through the Legislature.

“We’re doing this because state law requires it, and we would love to have a choice, but we don’t,” Commissioner Angela Markley said.

Firearms are still prohibited in all UG offices and buildings until at least until the end of 2017, said a UG attorney, Jenny Myers. “There will be no guns by anyone in any UG building,” at least through then, she said.

The new UG policy also states that a firearm could not be left unattended at any time, must be under the immediate control of the carrier at all times, and could not be left unattended in a UG vehicle.

While the UG has to allow employees to carry a firearm in their vehicle while the employee is out on UG duty, the firearm cannot be left unattended in a UG vehicle, Myers said. The employees can leave the firearm unattended in their own personal cars on UG property, as allowed by state law, according to Myers.

When the employee is carrying a concealed weapon, it must not be visible, Myers said, and no outline can show. It has to be on their person, she added. It can’t be left unattended in a UG vehicle.

She said any physical or verbal reference that an employee is carrying is prohibited, and no display of the weapon is allowed.

Open carry by UG employees on the job (except police officers and sheriff’s deputies) is still prohibited, she said.

Also, any unlawful use of the handgun in the workplace is prohibited, she said. In answer to a question, Myers said, “They can carry, we’re just not going to tell them when they can and can’t use it. This is mainly so we’re not having target practice out in the field, so we’re not shooting animals, not shooting it in the air.”

There’s another city ordinance that says it’s illegal to discharge a firearm within the city limits, she added.

Also, UG employees will have to abide by the rules of all non-Unified Government locations. For example, if they go to a school, they will have to abide by the rules of the school regarding guns, and if they go to a restaurant, they will have to abide by the rules of the restaurant, Myers said. If they are going to a building that does not allow guns and they are in a UG vehicle, they will not be able to take the gun inside and they will not be able to leave the gun unattended in the UG vehicle, she added.

Also, Myers said any resulting injury would not be considered for workers compensation or on-duty injury, any liability would be of a personal nature, and the UG would not defend it, she said.

In general, the state law allows anyone, except a felon, to conceal carry, without any training, according to Myers. Any employees that may have prior felonies or have misdemeanor domestic violence convictions will not be allowed to conceal carry, she said.

The UG employees would be required to report other UG employees who violate the policy, if they have knowledge of it, and those who don’t report it could be terminated, according to the new policy.

The employees will be required to sign a document acknowledging the changes in the policy, she said.

In other action, discussion on a request to postpone a $24,990 UG Hollywood Casino grant has been delayed until a later meeting.

The committee also decided to forward a resolution on a collaborative agreement between the UG, Kansas City, Mo., Independence, Mo., Blue Springs, Mo., and Leavenworth, Kan., working with the Mid-America Regional Council, to develop and submit an assessment of fair housing to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The committee also approved, to move forward to the full commission, a $15,000 grant toward a Kaw River bridge bike-pedestrian trail. The bridge, near the Kemper Arena area, is leased by a private group, owned by Kansas City, Mo., and located in Kansas City, Kan. In the future, if the project moves forward, the Heritage Trail and Kaw Valley Levee trails might be connected by it. The two Kansas Citys would work together on the project. An engineering study, a citizen engagement component, and preliminary design are planned.