After shutting down debate Wednesday, the Senate voted to override the governor’s veto on a 24-6 party line vote. The bill moved to the House, where it was quickly approved 112-41.
It becomes law in 30 days.
On the final day of the 2016 legislative session, lawmakers approved a bill eliminating those requirements and allowing someone to carry a concealed firearm in public without a permit.
Nixon vetoed the bill because he said it would allow “individuals to legally carry a concealed firearm even though they have been or would be denied a permit because their background check revealed criminal offenses or caused the sheriff to believe they posed a danger.”
Joining Nixon in opposing the bill were groups representing law enforcement officers around the state, such as the Missouri Police Chiefs Association, along with the state’s four Catholic bishops.
Proponents have argued that the change is about public safety. The legislation, according to the National Rifle Association, “seeks to expand the fundamental right to self-defense of Missourians and strengthen their ability to protect themselves and their families.”
Sen. Brian Munzlinger, a Republican from Lewis County who sponsored the bill, said it simply “will allow law abiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals.”
Rep. Kevin Engler, a Farmington Republican, said gun-control advocates have made dire predictions about every gun bill that the Missouri General Assembly has ever passed.
Yep. Such laws are really about control of the law abiding citizen, who are the real threat to the power of the ruling class, not public safety.
Criminals can always carry a concealed weapon. It's what they do. They're criminals. Allowing the law abiding their CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to be armed only evens the playing field.
ReplyDeleteSigh. I sure wish we had some Republicans like that in CA, but they've all been emasculated. And gerrymandered, so they're permanently outvoted anyway (but they have safe seats, which is all the R's here care about.)
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