KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -
Some big changes are coming to Kansas on Wednesday as a slew of laws will go into effect including a major tax hike.
The sales tax in the state jumps from 6.15 percent to 6.5 percent, and the cigarette tax hikes 50 cents, which means taxes on one pack will now cost $1.29.
Starting in July 2016, there will be a 20 cent increase per milliliter of consumable material. This is the first tax on e-cigs in the state . Some Kansas residents say they will drive over to Missouri to buy cigarettes and do their shopping.
And as expected, a lot of people are unhappy about the increase, but others say it is no big deal.
"That ain't going to hurt too much. If it is going to get you out of debt a little bit in the short term, it won't hurt in the long run." said Tony Garrett, of Kansas City, KS.
The tax hike is lawmakers' solution for the $400 million budget gap and is being called one of the biggest - if not the biggest - hike in state history.
However, one of the most controversial new laws allows Kansans to carry a concealed gun without a permit. The part that worries so many is that no training for that gun is required.
It is called "constitutional carry," and Kansas is reportedly the sixth state to enact this rule. People who support the law say it is their constitutional right to carry a gun, so the government shouldn't heavily regulate how they do it.
"More good people will have guns, and I think it will deter the bad people from robbing people," said Ken Nagle of Gardner.
Others say not requiring training is not safe and is a public health hazard. They also say it will be hard to know if someone has a gun on them.
"If I walk into a restaurant with my family with my 2 1/2-year-old son, I won't know who has been properly trained and who has not," said Rep. John Wilson, a Lawrence Democrat. "At least if I see their gun I can leave, but now I have no idea."
Businesses will now have to take another look at what they'll allow in their storefronts.
Originally Posted by Ron Paul
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