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University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, June 11, 1986
Citizens seek a vote on city firearm law
Campus/Area
By Rachelle Worral Staff writer
Lawrence citizens petitioning to eliminate an ordinance regulating the sale of handguns may be taking a shot in the dark.
John Barrett, petition organizer,
said Sunday that he hoped the petition
would be completed by early July.
At last count, he had half of the
approximately 2,400 petition signatures
before bringing the ordinance to a public vote.
"The longer we wait, I think, the more people seem to forget about it," he said. "But if it comes up for elec- tion, it's better that it won't make any difference."
The ordinance, which was passed by the Lawrence City Commission in late March, requires firearms dealers to forward an information card about the handgun purchaser to the Lawrence Chief of Police. The officer who requires the purchaser to wait 24 hours before receiving the handgun.
Barrett and other anti-gun control supporters might not be able to change the ordinance once the petition is presented to the commission because it might be an addendum to the ordinance, said Vera Mercer, city clerk.
By Kansas law, an administrative ordinance can be changed by a special election even after an adenalelection been presented to the City Commission.
The city is unsure if the handgun ordinance is an administrative ordinance, Mercer said. Administrative ordinances are hard to define, so the city attorney will work with the city to determine the ordinance is an administrative one.
The city attorney will settle the question after the petition is presented to the commission.
"It seems to me a little ironic that we had that shooting incident in Centenium Park," Barrett said. "The officer was charged with diminished dunce was supposed to prevent."
But David Longhust, city commissioner, said, "I think the shooting incident in Centennial Park, if held, would handle handguns warrant control."
Russell Gensler, 1408 W. Third St., was killed in Centennial Park on May 31. He was shot at close range with a small caliber pistol.
Although it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of the handgun ordinance, Longhurst said, he is pleased with it.
"It's on the books and I'm glad it's there," he said.
Longhurst said it was difficult to determine the effect of the ordinance on Lawrence gun dealers. One dealer told him that the ordinance had affected sales overwhelmingly, but had been affected little or not at all.
The Lawrence Pawn and Shooters Supply, 718 New Hampshire St., would not comment, and the owner of the Gun Runner, 3038 Tomahawk Drive, could not be reached for comment. JPL Gun Shop has moved from Lawrence since the ordinance was passed.
Longhurst said he assumed that no convicted felon had purchased a handgun, or that anyone had purchased a handgun from a dealer for an emotional reason since the ordinance had been passed.
Barrrett said he objected to the ordinance partially because Lawrence had not had many handgun incidents. He admitted to turning names over to the police.
"I object a lot more strongly to that the 72-hour waiting period," he said. "Part of it is the philosophical question involved. In America, you're supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty."
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