The Kansas Senate defeated a measure Thursday that would have kept concealed weapons off college campuses for another four years.

Senators voted 11-26 to reject an amendment on gun legislation that would have extended a prohibition on conceal-carry on campuses until 2021. The ban will expire in 2017 unless lawmakers act.

Senators also rebuffed an amendment to move up the end of the gun ban to this summer. The vote was 14-25.

In 2013, the Legislature blocked prohibitions against concealed weapons in government buildings, but exempted colleges and universities for four years. Last month, the Kansas Board of Regents, which governs public universities, approved a policy that will allow concealed weapons once the current ban expires.

Sen. Jeff Longbine, R-Emporia, offered the amendment to delay ending the ban. He argued students and staff of colleges haven’t gained the needed trust with conceal-carry. He stressed his proposal wouldn’t repeal conceal-carry on campuses but instead delay its implementation.

"I don’t think we have that comfort level," Longbine said.

Sen. Forrest Knox, R-Altoona, opposed the amendment. He carried the underlying legislation, Senate Bill 68, which expands the ability of public workers to carry concealed weapons. Prohibitions on concealed weapons render students unsafe, he said.

"We’re just extending the time our students and our staff are required to be defenseless," Knox said.