Kansas wants explanation of Virginia handgun permit decision

? Kansas’ top prosecutor wants to know why the state’s concealed carry firearm licenses aren’t being honored in Virginia.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt requested an explanation Tuesday of Virginia’s legal reasoning.

Last month, Virginia announced it has dropped reciprocity agreements with 25 states, including Kansas. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the concealed weapons laws in those states don’t meet Virginia’s standards.

Schmidt said in a news release that Virginia’s decision was a “surprise and a tremendous disappointment to many law-abiding Kansans who hold concealed carry licenses.”

Schmidt says Virginia first recognized Kansas licenses in February 2014 after six years of periodic discussions between the two states. He says he is unaware of any changes in Virginia law since then that would have explained the reconsideration.