KU Health System officials testified Thursday before the House Federal and State Affairs committee to request exemption from a 2013 conceal and carry law. The law requires the hospital to allow adults who are legally allowed to own guns to conceal and carry them in its facilities, unless the hospital enacts security measures to ensure no one can bring in firearms, according to the report.
House Bill 2150 would provide a special exemption for the Kansas City Health Care District.
Rick Johnson, chief of campus police at KU Medical Center — the university’s medical school — urged lawmakers to pass the bill.
“Allowing the carrying of concealed handguns in a healthcare environment will not increase security, but will create new public safety threats,” he said, according to the report. “I am absolutely convinced that firearms do not enhance hospital security, but will contradict best practices already in place.”
However, many members of the House Federal and State Affairs committee did not appear to be convinced by these arguments, according to the report.
“Right now, this bill takes away your 10,000 employees’ right to carry a handgun into the facility, because they’re working at all times of day, morning and night, and so is there no provision for them if they would feel safer in the nighttime traveling from the parking garage to one of the facilities?” asked Rep. Kristey Williams, R, according to the report. “That’s one of the concerns of mine.”
KU Health System CEO Bob Page said the health system’s police force could escort employees to their cars in the evenings, according to the report.
The hearing came the day after the committee heard testimony on another bill to extend broader exemptions from the concealed carry law for buildings run by local governments, including university campuses, public hospitals and mental health centers, according to the report.
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