A bill to establish concealed carry rights for young adults under 21 in Kentucky breezed through the Legislature and is headed to Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) desk.
And the tally wasn’t close.
The Kentucky House previously passed HB 312 by an overwhelming margin of 73-17. Now, the Senate concurred on Friday with a 30-17 vote to advance the popular legislation as Second Amendment supporters dominate both chambers.
Supporters declared that the Bill of Rights protects all adults
State Rep. Savannah Maddox (R), along with 28 co-sponsors, pushed the important measure through the legislative process. She posted on X that it is an injustice to deny full constitutional rights to an age group that in every meaningful way is qualified.
Maddox noted that young adults can give their lives for their country, start families, and own and possess firearms.
“The Second Amendment could not be clearer: The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,” the lawmaker declared. “Make no mistake—18, 19, and 20-year-old adults are undeniably part of the people!”
2A advocates believe they have veto-proof majorities in both Kentucky chambers
Kentucky is a constitutional carry state where law-abiding citizens do not need government permission to carry a weapon in most locations. A similar bill sailed through the Senate in 2025 before bogging down in the House.
Gun rights advocates hope that Beshear reads the writing on the wall and signs the popular bill into law. If not, the margin of victory in both chambers indicates that a veto override is entirely possible.
Even as murder rates fall across the nation, one organization opposed to 2A rights blasted the proposal. Representatives from Moms Demand Action testified before a committee considering HB 312 that teenage crime statistics should convince legislators to oppose expanding concealed carry rights.
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