Kansans back right to own guns

An amendment to the Kansas Constitution that was drafted to declare a person’s right to own guns for any lawful purpose was approved overwhelming by voters in Tuesday’s election. With 2,291 of 3,315 precincts reporting, the amendment had received 569,876 “yes” votes to 77,520 “no” votes.

The Amendment will rewrite Section 4 of the Kansas Constitution to clarify an individual’s right to bear arms. A 1905 Supreme Court decision interpreted the right to bear arms as a collective right, rather than an individual right. That ruling meant an individual couldn’t own a gun for hunting or recreation, but militias could arm themselves.

Patricia Stoneking, president of the Kansas State Rifle Association, said she was “very excited” with Tuesday night’s results. The outcome was “a vote of confidence” to ensure an individual’s right to own guns for any lawful purpose, she said.

“I believe Kansans as a whole believe in the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms,” Stoneking said.

The rifle association had worked hard over the past two years to place the amendment on the Nov. 2 ballot, she said. Resolutions to place the amendment on the ballot passed in both the Kansas House and Kansas Senate during the 2009 session.

The Kansas Constitution will now read, “A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and for any other lawful purpose.”

The gun question was placed on the ballot by the 2009 Kansas Legislature in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that said the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment grants individuals the right to bear firearms.