What Can Missouri do to Keep Guns Out of the Hands of Domestic Abusers? Look to Kansas.

When it comes to keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, Missouri has some of the worst laws in the country. Among states with the highest rates of women murdered by men, Missouri tied for tenth.

As the Kansas City Star’s editorial board put it earlier this week, Missouri state lawmakers need only look to the neighboring state of Kansas to see successful gun laws that can protect victims of domestic abuse.

In April, Kansas enacted a law prohibiting convicted domestic abusers from possessing guns. The law also prohibits people subject to domestic violence restraining orders from having firearms.

And it’s not just Kansas ― according to the Gun Law Navigator, a website that lets users compare laws between states:

• Most states prohibit people who have been convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors from having firearms.
• Most states prohibit people subject to domestic violence restraining orders from having firearms.

Missouri has neither of these laws, and the Star’s editorial lists both loopholes among several that lawmakers should turn their attention to.

This year, hundreds of volunteers with Moms Demand Action took to the Missouri statehouse urging lawmakers to pass legislation prohibiting firearm possession by domestic abusers. And for two consecutive years, lawmakers have introduced legislation to do so. To date, these efforts have been unsuccessful.

If you’re interested in learning more about Missouri’s gun laws, how they compare to the rest of the country, or how to better protect victims of domestic violence, don’t hesitate to reach out.
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