Concealed carry applications in Kansas dropped during the 2016 fiscal year.
Between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016, about 5800 people applied for a Kansas license to carry a concealed firearm.
Attorney General Derek Schmidt says that’s a "steep decline" from the previous fiscal year, when the state received almost 10,000 applications. It's the third year in a row that the number has dropped.
Last year, lawmakers approved a bill allowing eligible Kansans to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. However, most states still require a license; 37 states recognize the Kansas license.
Currently, more than 93,000 Kansans have an active concealed-carry permit. More than 17,000 licenses have been issued in Sedgwick County since the program, which was signed into law in 2006, began issuing permits in 2007.
--
Follow Nadya Faulx on Twitter @NadyaFaulx.
To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.
