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open carry at the gaslight festival

bigdodge25

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2010
Messages
31
Location
Louisville
I dont think i was in 1000ft of any school and Im not a felon...lol so I'm good. Went ahead and OC'd cause with my knowledge of OC everythigng was legal. I walked past MANY sheriffs and LEO and not one look or question. Some people were pointing and talking though..lol
 

ZXguy

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Messages
48
Location
Lexington, KY
This would be the only reason; unless of course it is within 1000ft of k-12 school property and you don't have your CDWL.


What? You can't OC within 1000 ft of a school? I knew you couldn't be on school grounds, but I'm surprised about the 1000ft......or am I just misunderstanding here (probably lol)?
 

ZXguy

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Messages
48
Location
Lexington, KY
It's federal law not Kentucky law that would prevent you from carrying within 1000' without a cdwl.


So in most larger towns and cities, it's almost impossible to legally OC without a CDWL? Schools are everywhere.
I'm gonna have to read more on this one as I admit I wasn't familiar.
 

KYGlockster

Activist Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
1,842
Location
Ashland, KY
What? You can't OC within 1000 ft of a school? I knew you couldn't be on school grounds, but I'm surprised about the 1000ft......or am I just misunderstanding here (probably lol)?

No you cannot OC within 1000ft of "K-12" school property without having a CDWL issued in the state you are carrying in. This is a Federal law and most commonly called the FGFSZ. The first time they passed such a law it was deemed unconstitutional, so they changed the terminology and passed it again. This second law has never been challenged to my knowledge, but I am sure if it was it woud also be deemed unconstitutional because it is very vague and makes someone a felon for carrying in their private conveyance near a school, whether they are on school property or not.

If the statute prohibited possession on school grounds only, then I believe our current SCOTUS would rule it constitutional, but it extends that ban to 1000ft beyond the edge of school property which is insane.

I don't believe anyone has ever been charged with this statute unless there were some other aggravating circumstances other than just carrying a firearm.
 

ZXguy

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Messages
48
Location
Lexington, KY
No you cannot OC within 1000ft of "K-12" school property without having a CDWL issued in the state you are carrying in. This is a Federal law and most commonly called the FGFSZ. The first time they passed such a law it was deemed unconstitutional, so they changed the terminology and passed it again. This second law has never been challenged to my knowledge, but I am sure if it was it woud also be deemed unconstitutional because it is very vague and makes someone a felon for carrying in their private conveyance near a school, whether they are on school property or not.

If the statute prohibited possession on school grounds only, then I believe our current SCOTUS would rule it constitutional, but it extends that ban to 1000ft beyond the edge of school property which is insane.

I don't believe anyone has ever been charged with this statute unless there were some other aggravating circumstances other than just carrying a firearm.


Amazing....and unfortunate.
Thanks for the explanation. I'll be reading up on FGFSZ.
 

langzaiguy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
916
Location
Central KY
Don't let it discourage you from OCing. It's doubtful that one would ever be prosecuted for this unless they were actually on school grounds. It seems as though that this is just another charge that they would tack on if you had committed a crime on school property. It's doubtful that local LEO would even enforce federal law. Heck, they may not even have the authority to do so.
 

ZXguy

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Messages
48
Location
Lexington, KY
Don't let it discourage you from OCing. It's doubtful that one would ever be prosecuted for this unless they were actually on school grounds. It seems as though that this is just another charge that they would tack on if you had committed a crime on school property. It's doubtful that local LEO would even enforce federal law. Heck, they may not even have the authority to do so.


I just finished reading about it on the links above...and in some other threads. Admittedly, this is a p*sser. I'm imagining how many people violate this every day -- just on their way to work.

As ya I mentioned before, I'm learning all this new at the moment as I'm new to owning. It's much more complicated than I ever imagined. I think you're right that local LEO won't pursue this, but it's still very concerning that it's on the books.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread either :)

I'm still trying to understand the significance of the law's wording about "a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce." It seems that they're just suggesting that because some people might be scared of guns, commerce will be affected and therefore having a gun makes the open carrier affect commerce (i.e., guns are bad, people are scared, if you have a gun, you'll screw with commerce by scaring people). That's messed up :)
 

KYGlockster

Activist Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
1,842
Location
Ashland, KY
I just finished reading about it on the links above...and in some other threads. Admittedly, this is a p*sser. I'm imagining how many people violate this every day -- just on their way to work.

As ya I mentioned before, I'm learning all this new at the moment as I'm new to owning. It's much more complicated than I ever imagined. I think you're right that local LEO won't pursue this, but it's still very concerning that it's on the books.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread either :)

I'm still trying to understand the significance of the law's wording about "a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce." It seems that they're just suggesting that because some people might be scared of guns, commerce will be affected and therefore having a gun makes the open carrier affect commerce (i.e., guns are bad, people are scared, if you have a gun, you'll screw with commerce by scaring people). That's messed up :)

When they mention firearms that have moved in interstate commerce they are speaking of a firearm that has been shipped from one state to another, or a firearm that was shipped from another country into our country. This would be like a Glock being shipped from Smyrna, Georgia, to Kentucky; it has crossed state lines and therefore the Federal government believes they have the right to control everything the firearm does because of the very minute Commerce Clause in the Constitution.

If a firearm was made in Kentucky, and it was shipped to someone who lived in Kentucky, and it never left the state, then it could be carried because it would not be affected by interstate commerce, and therefore the FGFSZ would not apply to the carrying of that firearm.
 
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self preservation

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2012
Messages
1,036
Location
Owingsville,KY
It's doubtful that local LEO would even enforce federal law. Heck, they may not even have the authority to do so.

I was recently told by a city detective that, "I can't enforce federal law". He even went to say that he thought at one time that KVE could enforce federal law but he couldn't. I think KVE ( I know they are KSP now) was a state agency so I don't see how. Plus, this detective didn't know squat about 65.870, so take his comment for whats it's worth.
 

ZXguy

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Messages
48
Location
Lexington, KY
No, you've missed the point entirely. The original GFSZ Act was declared unconstitutional because the US Supreme Court said that congress did not have any authoity to do this, except as it applied to interstate commerce and congress had not established any connection between the two. The act was rewritten with this language in it to make that connection, then it was passed again. Not many people believe it will hold up in court this time, either and it has never been tested. Some prosecutors have refused to prosecute cases on this alone, because they don't believe it will hold up. This is charged most often in connection with another crime then thrown away during a plea bargain with the defendant. I believe you are safe from prosecution on this as long as you are not committing another crime in a school zone. You can make your own decisions. I have a CCDW and it doesn't apply to me. Who would arrest you for this federal crime? Is the FBI making traffic stops and setting up road blocks in your hometown?


Nope...I definitely got that. My words were intended to make fun of their stated warped reasoning which allowed this to be passed. I would be very interested in seeing statistics on how frequently this law is used.
 

ZXguy

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Messages
48
Location
Lexington, KY
When they mention firearms that have moved in interstate commerce they are speaking of a firearm that has been shipped from one state to another, or a firearm that was shipped from another country into our country. This would be like a Glock being shipped from Smyrna, Georgia, to Kentucky; it has crossed state lines and therefore the Federal government believes they have the right to control everything the firearm does because of the very minute Commerce Clause in the Constitution.

If a firearm was made in Kentucky, and it was shipped to someone who lived in Kentucky, and it never left the state, then it could be carried because it would not be affected by interstate commerce, and therefore the FGFSZ would not apply to the carrying of that firearm.


Truly amazing.
 

Midwest

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
Messages
305
Location
Boone County, KY
They seem to be enforcing an different GFSZ in New Jersey, getting caught with a BB gun can get one 7 to 10 years if happen to be in the wrong place. Granted, this is ON school property but not sure how it jives with the federal one. This could be seen as a supplement to to the Federal Law.

And it would seem in this case that NJ law is more harsh than the Federal one for on the school ground rather than just 1000 within it. I figure I'd mention it as the GFSZ was bought up. In NJ BB guns are considered firearms, so the new law of 7 to 10 would seem to apply to regular firearms as well as BB guns. To say that the new law is harsh, is an understatement.

Each state would seem to be able to add it's own laws to the Federal Gun Free School Zone law like NJ did by focusing on within the actual school boundary rather than 1000 feet around it.



http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-662498.html

" NJ ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER SCHOOL GROUNDS PENALTY INCREASE


Possession of all BB guns and air guns would carry 7-10 year prison sentences with no possibility of leniency.

Parents picking up their children at school after hunting or target shooting would also be at risk.

Victim disarmament zones would be ensured.

On Thursday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m., the New Jersey Assembly Law & Public Safety Committee is scheduled to consider A1216, legislation that would increase the penalty for possession of a "firearm" on the grounds of an educational institution, raising it from a third to second degree crime. Second degree crimes carry a presumptive 7-10 year prison sentence and a fine of up to $150,000, with no opportunity for New Jersey's "pre-trial intervention leniency program, and very limited sentencing discretion by the judge.

New Jersey's definition of "firearm" includes all BB guns and air guns, even though they are commonly regarded as toys in much of the country. Someone who mistakenly possesses a BB gun or air gun on school grounds - even a broken one - would be subject to the lengthy and unforgiving prison sentence that A1216 imposes, with no possibility of leniency, and a presumption in favor of imprisonment.

Also, parents picking up their children at school after hunting or target shooting, or to go hunting or target shooting, would also be at risk of A1216's draconian punishment if they enter on school grounds with a firearm unloaded and properly stored in their vehicle, even though they are not involved in criminal activity.

This thoughtless legislation also virtually ensures that New Jersey schools would become victim disarmament zones - even teachers licensed with gun permits would be subject to lengthy incarceration, chilling their right of self-defense to protect themselves and school children from attack.

Ironically, A1216 is a "solution" to a problem that has already been solved. Firearms possession for an unlawful purpose is already a second degree crime in New Jersey, so this legislation adds nothing except cruel and unusual punishment for innocent mistakes. "
 
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