Senate Bill 5038 Aims to Prohibit Open Carry at Public Demonstrations & State Capitol

The state House of Representatives have passed Senate Bill 5038, legislature to prohibit open carry weapons at both the State capitol and public demonstrations. The bill passed out of the House, 57 to 40 and stirred debate about the second amendment amongst legislators.

"I think a number of us feel it is clearly unconstitutional, but there is a real definite push," said Representative Keith Goehner. "It also precludes people that are gun rights activists. They come to the Capitol fully displaying weapons. That would preclude them from having that second amendment demonstration."

Goehner added the bill also bans people from open carrying weapons nearby an event, so some people can unknowingly be in violation of the law by proximity. Some legislators, like Representative Mike Steele, forecast the bill will end up in the state Supreme Court.

"The challenge here is we are struggling to figure out how we address violence," said Representative Steele. "The reality is, there are other states in our country...where they have some of the most stringent gun laws and yet they still suffer from the kind of gun violence we're trying to prevent here."

For more on the bill, visit here.