Lawmakers file gun destruction bill in Kentucky Senate

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WLKY) – Since her election in 2020, Sen. Karen Berg has filed some version of Senate Bill 178, which aims to keep guns used in crimes from getting back into the hands of other criminals.

This year, Berg made some adjustments to the bill that have helped not only garner Republican support but also but also a co-sponsor in Republican leadership – Sen. Julie Racque Adams.

Under the bill, guns confiscated by law enforcement can continue to be resold at auction. However, those used in violent crimes must be destroyed.

Mayor Craig Greenberg, who has been advocating for legislation like this since last year’s mass shooting at Old National Bank, praised the bill, saying, “No gun is more important than the life of a loved one. Yet, we know that weapons sold at these state auctions have made their way back to the streets and were used again to commit crimes. I thank my Louisville colleagues in the General Assembly for their leadership on ending this recycling of gun violence and for their commitment to making Louisville safer.”

Berg is hopeful this could be the year the bill finally crosses the finish line but says she knows the power of the fear that has been built up around any proposed gun reforms.