LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Leaders in Louisville and across the state continue calls for gun reform after the mass shooting and violence this weekend.
The Kentucky Black Legislative Caucus held a press conference Monday morning, where leaders focused on a red flag law, which would remove guns from people considered dangerous, or prevent them from buying them in the first place.
Legislators said evaluating factors, like mental health, would help prevent mass shootings and everyday gun violence across the state.
“There are times when we need to step in and stop someone before they harm themselves or harm others,” Rep. Derrick Graham (D – Frankfort) said. “These laws have shown their worth in other states, and I believe the Commonwealth of Kentucky should have one as well."
The Caucus stood arm-in-arm during the press conference to show solidarity with Tennessee lawmakers who were expelled after pushing for gun reform on the House Floor, not in accordance with orders of the day.
Republican Rep. Jason Nemes (R – Louisville) said he's already in talks with politicians across the aisle, including Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
He said he plans to approach mass casualties, but also daily gun violence seen in Louisville.
Nemes said red flag laws can help, but they must be carefully crafted.
"There's going to be a tension, but I think at the same time, we can do a better job of addressing underlying concerns and making sure that we don't allow as easy, have access to firearms to people who shouldn't have access to them,” Nemes said.
He also said Kentucky law should expand to prevent people charged with domestic violence from possessing a gun, at least until court proceedings are complete.
As for the push to give Louisville autonomy to make its own gun laws, Nemes said he doesn't see that happening because he said Jefferson County judges would likely not allow it.
“For example, we passed a law that would apply to Jefferson County School Board, because it has 97,000 kids, and it's materially different than the other school boards. And they fought a lawsuit and the judge in Jefferson County said, ‘Hold on, you can't do that. You can't treat us differently,’” Nemes said. “So, I think because of the Jefferson County judges, any kind of law that would treat Louisville differently on gun laws would probably violate that local judge's ruling.”
And, he said his constituents in the county shouldn’t be subject to harsher gun laws than the rest of the state.
“Most of the people that I represent, most of the people across Louisville, in every single area of Louisville, who are gun owners are not violating the law,” Nemes said.
The Republican lawmaker also spoke about Greenberg’s push to confiscate guns used to commit crimes. Under current Kentucky laws, those guns are eventually resold at auction to a dealer.
“I understand the emotion behind that argument, and I think it, it does have some symbolic oomph to it,” Nemes said. “But I think it's not going to make our street safe if we, if we stopped selling those to [Federal Fire License] dealers.”
In step with his goal to address gun violence in general, Nemes said he's looking to increase funding for witness protection. He points to Saturday's Chickasaw Park shooting where hundreds of people were in attendance.
Overall, lawmakers are hopeful they will see bipartisan legislative action.
“And to the extent we do not address this, we are failing in our responsibility,” Sen. Gerald Neal (D – Louisville) said.
"When I talked to my colleagues out and in the, out of the state of Kentucky, you know, they want to get something done, they also want to make sure that we don't go too far," Nemes said.
The Kentucky Black Caucus will be in Tennessee on Tuesday to continue to stand with the lawmakers there and push for gun reform.
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