Rep. Savannah Maddox, a Republican from Dry Ridge, introduced a bill to allow younger adults to apply for provisional licenses to carry concealed firearms.
Maddox argues Kentucky’s current gun laws create a “dangerous inconsistency” by not permitting 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds to carry concealed weapons.
“We recognize their adulthood and the responsibilities that come with it in every other area, but we deny them the ability to protect themselves and their loved ones whenever they step outside their home,” Maddox said.
Currently, Kentuckians 21 and older don’t need a permit to carry a concealed firearm. Those 18 and older may carry a gun in the state, but only openly. Military personnel, however, are allowed to carry concealed at 18.
The proposed legislation would let these younger adults apply for provisional licenses, which would require up to eight hours of firearm safety and training and a state and federal background check.
Maddox emphasized that the bill does not expand access to firearms — young adults can already buy and possess them in Kentucky.
“This simply allows them to carry concealed with training, with a background check and with proficiency in handling and operating firearms,” she said.
The bill passed a Kentucky House committee, with all 15 Republicans voting yes and the three Democrats in opposition.
This version of the legislation is more stringent than last year’s attempt. Senate Bill 75, which fell short of final passage, did not require a background check or training. Last year, both some Democrats and Republicans opposed it due to concerns about expanding access without training.
Democrats on the committee still criticized the bill, saying it doesn’t address gun violence. Kentucky’s gun death rate rose 31% from 2014 to 2023, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
House Democratic Floor Leader Pamela Stevenson of Louisville called gun violence a health crisis and argued the bill is the wrong solution.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of high school students, and their concern is not if they will be shot at. It’s when. And we’re not dealing with that epidemic,” Stevenson said.
The bill would not change existing restrictions on where guns cannot be carried. Concealed carry remains prohibited in schools, courthouses, and the state Capitol, except for lawmakers.
Rep. Nick Wilson, a Republican from Williamsburg, said the provisional license could encourage more young adults to get formal training.
“I may be looking at this too practically, but I think it’s going to cause a lot of people to take training that otherwise would just wait until they’re 21 and [carry concealed],” Wilson said.
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