By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Gov. Sam Brownback last Thursday announced he will allow a concealed carry bill to become law without his signature.

House Bill 2278 exempts publicly owned mental health centers, medical clinics and hospitals — including the University of Kansas Health System — from the state’s concealed carry law.

Existing law would have required publicly owned buildings to add metal detectors and armed guards or allow employees and visitors to bring in guns starting July 1.

Hays Medical Center, which became a partner with the Kansas City-based University of Kansas Hospital Jan. 1, will not be affected by the new exemption.

“HaysMed qualifies as a ‘private entity’ under Kansas’ concealed carry laws, which means we were not impacted by the change going into effect on July 1,” said Gayla Wichman, HaysMed marketing director. “Our affiliation with KUH did not change this, so the recently passed concealed carry legislation had no impact on us.”

State officials estimated it would have cost $12 million annually to add metal detectors and guards at the four state hospitals, and KU Health System estimated it would spend more than $1 million each year to comply.