Kentucky residents ages 18 to 20 will now be able to obtain a provisional concealed carry license under House Bill 312, which requires proper firearm safety training and background checks.
Gun safety advocates are stressing the importance of knowing the law and handling firearms responsibly.
Jeff Poynter has been teaching concealed carry safety for nearly a decade. He said training is critical for anyone looking to carry.
WATCH: Gun safety advocates stress responsible handling with concealed carry changes
"If you don't have the training and know what to do, then you shouldn't be using it," Poynter said. "They will go over the laws, they will go over safe handling in the house, safety around children, their responsibilities when it comes to that, safety in their vehicle, safety while they're carrying."
Poynter also said gun owners should continuously revisit their safety training.
"It's a perishable skill. It needs to be maintained," Poynter added.
Kevin Michalowski, a former law enforcement officer with over 30 years of firearm safety training experience and a member of the United States Concealed Carry Association, said it is also important to know the laws beyond Kentucky's borders. In Ohio, for example, there is no legally permitted concealed carry under the age of 21.
"It is your responsibility when you're carrying your gun to make sure that you are carrying it legally and only carrying it where you are allowed to carry it, where that permit allows," Michalowski said.
Kentucky State Police said applications for the new provisional concealed carry permit are expected to open in mid-September.
Michalowski said getting proper training is what separates responsible gun owners from the rest.
"If you're going to carry a firearm, you need to get training. You need to understand where you can legally carry that firearm and what you can and can't do with it," Michalowski said. "The people who get that training are far more responsible than the people who don't."
You can find more information on the legislation by clicking the link here, with information on the Kentucky State Police website here.
This story was originally published by Logan MacDonald with the Scripps News Group station in Cincinnati, Ohio.
