Kentucky Just Passed HB 312 Into Law, Lowering Conceal-and-Carry Age to 18 (Previously 21).

Governor Beshear vetoed the law, but it was passed into law anyway with 2/3 vote on April 15.

The licenses are provisional versus standard (not sure what that means), but regardless, it means that some high school seniors who turn 18 during the school year can potentially conceal and carry.

With all of the school shootings we have already, I am freaking out.

I understand the argument that some kids want them to protect themselves from school shootings, I do.

And yet they're not what worries me - it's the ones carrying them for other reasons that do. 

This worries me not only for the children and staff at schools, but for my husband, who helps check bags and wands students in the mornings for security.

If anyone could handle that, he could, and yet still, a new school policy has yet to be drawn up and they only have until July 1st. 

The current policy is "No guns at school" regardless, but what if somebody - and their parents - pushes that and says "Hey, you're a state-funded state institution, you have to let me conceal and carry."

Well, then we're in a pickle. 

I spoke to a classmate who lives in Wisconsin, whose husband is very conservative, asking for thoughts, and even he thought that was nuts. 

(In Wisconsin, the legal age is 21 and there are mandatory background checks when purchasing weapons from gun shops, but not with private sales).

Here in Kentucky, there are no background checks required at all.

Also, our training is less than other states.

For those who don't know, training, license, background, and mental health checks are controlled by the state - only things like types of guns allowed in the U.S. is controlled by the Federal Government; thus, gun laws vary from state to state. 

So I said "Good, then I'm not being THAT much of a "liberal snowflake" that this concerns me, right? 😂"

They laughed. 🙂

They said they could see the perspective where it could potentially save lives, but it's the not knowing their rationale for carrying a gun to school that is the issue. 

We don't normally discuss politics - we know what they are, and she doesn't push hers and me and I don't on her, and we like it that way, and we otherwise have much in common. 

I can deal with Trump supporters who don't push their stuff on me and call me names and tell me I'm unAmerican or unChristian for not supporting him - it's just that's rare here in Kentucky.

Here in Kentucky, they bring it up everywhere, walking your dogs, the grocery, the gas station, the line waiting to vote, you name it - and it makes me very uncomfortable.

We don't talk about politics. We know where everyone stands, so we just don't talk about it. 

Instead, our little group laughs and carries on about everything from what toys we played with as kids (Barbie is universal, regardless of age, race, political preference, or region of the country😂) -  to what celebrities everyone thinks are hot but we don't get (Timothee Chalamet?) and who we think is - to our kids, pets, work, class frustrations. 

However, on this one, I just asked for their thoughts on that, before I said my opinion, curious to hear other perspectives, to see if I was the nutty one for thinking this was rife with potential issues -  and I was glad to find out I wasn't! 😂

Also, immediately after this was announced at a security meeting at the schools, Mark said some kid came to school that day with a black trench coat on, though it was 75 degrees, perhaps attempting to look like Neo from The Matrix, but instead ended up looking Columbine-ish!

I mean, whatever your intent, you just don't do that since Columbine, especially not in 72-degree weather, which went up to 83 degrees by noon!

My husband signaled to his coworker to have him wanded.

Nothing was found, but somebody definitely needs to keep on eye on that kid.

Scared for a multitude of reasons - do you blame me?