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Ky. Senator Wants Cities To Have More Say In Gun Regulation

Skitterphoto / CC0 Public Domain

A Lexington lawmaker wants to allow local governments to enact new rules to curb gun violence. His measure, BR 172, would upend a more than 30-year-old law barring gun regulation on the local level.

While he says he’s “not naïve” about the bill’s long odds in the General Assembly, Democratic State Sen. Reggie Thomas is making the push anyway – spurred on by recent fatal shootings, including the October 16th death of 15-year-old Trinity Gay, the daughter of Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay.

If enacted, the bill would permit cities to regulate the purchase, storage, and transportation of firearms, along with taxation and other aspects of the gun sales, as long as they do not infringe on the 2nd Amendment. But Thomas tells WUKY it would not mandate any new rules.

"I leave that to Louisville and Lexington to decide," he says. "I'm not going to say what Louisville and Lexington should do with respect to restricting gun access. That's up to them, but you at least ought to have the authority to deal with that."

As recently as 2012, the legislature expanded the state’s prohibition against local gun restrictions to cover special districts, boards, and other agencies.

Lexington Mayor Jim Gray ordered a review of the city’s response to gun violence following Gay’s death, saying the community must examine the root causes.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.