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Everytown, Missouri Moms Release New Poll Showing Missourians Don’t Want Felons to Own Guns, Strongly Oppose Concealed Carry Without a Permit

4.29.2015

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Ahead of today’s House Select Judiciary Committee hearing on HB 1220, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and the Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action released new polling of likely voters in Missouri (available here) that indicates broad opposition to allowing felons to own guns (HB 1220) and to allowing concealed carry without a permit (HB 1250.) Among the poll’s findings:


  • 63 percent say no felons should be allowed to own a gun.
  • 55 percent are less likely to vote for a candidate who supports allowing certain felons to 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.

“This poll underscores what Missourians have long known – that our right to bear arms goes hand-in-hand with keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people,” said Erin Gregory of Kansas City and a volunteer leader with the Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which has more than 48,000 supporters in the state. “It’s just common sense – we should not pass laws that let dangerous criminals own or carry concealed, loaded guns in public. As Missourians and as moms, we call on our lawmakers in Jefferson City to stand up to the Washington gun lobby and reject these dangerous bills.”

House Bill 1220 would allow a broad range of convicted criminals to legally own guns under Missouri law. If H.B. 1220 became law, certain convicted felons—including people convicted of manslaughter, drug trafficking, child sex trafficking, and sexual assault—would no longer be prohibited from owning guns under Missouri law. More information on HB 1220 is available here.

House Bill 1250 would dismantle Missouri’s concealed weapon permitting system, allowing people to carry concealed, loaded guns in public without a permit or firearm safety training. By removing Missouri’s concealed weapon permit requirement, HB 1250 would eliminate some of Missouri’s public safety laws—including those that prohibit people recently convicted of assault or multiple drug crimes from carrying concealed weapons. More information on HB 1250 is available here.