Firearms
Bill #: HB 2487, HB 1877
LWVMO SUPPORTS these bills.
Short Description: HB 2487 specifies that background checks be done on any transfer of a firearm by any person who is not a licensed dealer. Licensed dealers may charge a fee for doing the checks. HB 1877 expands endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree to include knowingly failing to secure a readily available firearm in the presence of a child under 17 or in a residence where a child under 17 lives.
Status of the Bill: HB 2487 and 1877 have not been referred to a committee.
Talking points:
HB 2487
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Background checks can reduce the number of guns in the hands of "the bad guys"
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The "gun show loophole" and overall lack of restriction of gun sales/transfers makes Missouri a more dangerous state than needed
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Missouri has the 7th highest rate of gun deaths in the nation (CDC), and unrestricted sales/transfers of guns is a contributing factor
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States, including Missouri, that have failed to put basic protections in place have a much higher rate of gun deaths
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Background checks (and the waiting time that it takes for them to be completed) can help prevent suicides since immediate access to a firearm is a risk factor for suicide
HB 1877
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Guns are the number one killer of America's children (MOMS Demand Action)
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Over 4 1/2 million American children live in households where guns are not securely stored (MOMS Demand Action)
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Secure storage of guns and ammunition in homes & vehicles has been proven to prevent unintentional shootings and suicide among children (MOMS Demand Action)
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Unsecured and unsupervised access to firearms by children are an endangerment of child welfare
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A requirement for safe storage is not an infringement on 2nd Amendment rights; rights come with responsibilities
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Secure storage of guns and ammunition is an adult responsibility
Link to the summary of the bill: HB 2487 HB 1877
Call to action:
5 for Democracy: Write House Speaker Dean Plocher HERE and urge him to refer these bills to committee.
LWV Position: Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility of guns. Supports regulating firearms for consumer safety. (LWVMO Guide to State Action, p10, Gun Policy).
Bill #: HB 1819
LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill.
Short Description: ΗΒ 1819 allows courts to remove guns from respondents after issuing an Order of Protection for domestic violence and prohibiting those convicted of domestic violence from possessing guns.
Status of the Bill: Has been referred to the House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee.
Talking points:
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In 2020 32 women in Missouri were fatally shot by an intimate partner (EveryStat.org)
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76% of all Missouri intimate partner deaths are firearm victims (EveryStat.org)
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In 2023, in Missouri, 89% of intimate partner homicides were by guns, compared to 65% nationwide (Every.Stat.org)
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Intimate partners are not the only ones at risk; children and other family members are endangered when abusers are armed, including suicide risk for abusers
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After due process, courts have an absolute right to prohibit abusers from having guns
Link to the summary of the bill: HB 1819
Call to action:
5 for Democracy: Write Committee Chairman Rep. Lane Roberts HERE and urge him to advance the bill for a hearing in his committee.
LWV Position: Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility of guns. Supports regulating firearms for consumer safety. (LWVMO Guide to State Action, p10, Gun Policy)
Bill #: HB 2291
LWVMO OPPOSES this bill.
Short Description: Exempts firearms and ammunition from sales tax.
Status of the Bill: Placed on the House Formal Perfection Calendar for Monday, March 11.
Talking points:
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Missouri is one of only 13 states that still taxes groceries yet seeks to exempt firearms and ammunition sold in the state
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Amend the bill to include exemption for groceries, diapers and feminine hygiene products
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The bill’s fiscal estimate says it would cost the state about $31 million a year in lost revenue and local governments up to $65.4 million annually
Link to the summary of the bill: HB 2291
Call to action:
5 for Democracy: Contact your House Representative HERE
LWV Position: Supports regulating firearms for consumer safety. (LWV Impact on Issue, 2022 - 2024, p. 153). Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility of guns (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p. 57)
Bill #: HCS/HBS 1477 & 1437
LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill.
Short Description: This bill establishes ""Blair's Law"" which states that a person commits the offense of unlawful discharge of a firearm if that
person, with criminal negligence, discharges a firearm within or
into the limits of any municipality.
Status of the Bill: Placed on the House Formal Perfection Calendar for Monday, March 11.
Talking points:
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Missouri considered a “failed” state for lack of strong gun laws (Everytown)
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Missouri has three times as many gun deaths as other national gun leader states (Grandparents For Gun Safety)
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American children are twelve times more likely to be killed by a gun than children in other countries (CDC)
Link to the summary of the bill: HCS/HBS 1477 & 1437
Call to action:
5 for Democracy: Email your representative here.
Links to further reading:
Which states have the ideal laws to prevent gun violence?
LWV Position: Supports regulating firearms for consumer safety. (LWV Impact on Issue, 2022 - 2024, p. 153). Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility of guns. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p. 57)
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