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Missouri Moms Applaud Defeat of Dangerous Gun Bills

5.15.2015

JEFFERSON CITY, MO — The Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded the defeat of dangerous legislation that would have made it easier for felons to own guns (HB 1220) and allowed dangerous individuals to carry concealed weapons in public without a permit (HB 1250). The bills are set to expire as the Legislature adjourns today, just weeks after Everytown issued statewide polling demonstrating Missouri voters overwhelmingly opposed the proposals.

“Common sense prevails,” said Becky Morgan, Missouri Chapter Lead for Moms Demand Action. “Missourians know that our right to bear arms goes hand-in-hand with keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people. We should not pass laws that let convicted criminals or people who have had no safety training at all carry concealed, loaded guns in public without a permit. Nor should we allow felons– even certain drug traffickers, rapists and domestic abusers – to own guns under Missouri law. Thankfully, the legislature has heard the will of the people and refused to approve these dangerous bills. There’s no way around it, the gun lobby failed in Missouri. Not a single one of their priority bills became law – and we are emboldened to continue fighting these dangerous proposals in future legislative sessions. The safety of our Missouri children and communities depends upon it.”

If House Bill 1220 had been approved by the legislature, a broad range of convicted felons—including people convicted of manslaughter, drug trafficking, child sex trafficking, and sexual assault—would no longer have been prohibited from owning guns under Missouri law.

House Bill 1250, which also expires today, would have dismantled Missouri’s concealed weapon permitting system, allowing people to carry concealed, loaded handguns in public without a permit or firearm safety training, and eliminating state public safety laws that prohibit people recently convicted of assault or multiple drug crimes from carrying concealed weapons.

Polling conducted last month on behalf of Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund by Survey USA found that wide majorities of Missouri voters opposed such policies:

• 63 percent say no felons should be allowed to own a gun.
• 76 percent of all voters – including 72 percent of gun owners and 72 percent of concealed carry permit holders – oppose changing the law to allow people to carry concealed handguns without a permit.
• 63 percent of voters statewide – including a majority of gun owners and concealed-carry permit owners – would be more likely to vote against a candidate for public office who supported changing Missouri law to make it legal to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.