Friday, Missouri lawmakers passed a bill approving the ban on police enforcement of gun control.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson will be presented with the decision on whether to prohibit state and local police officers from enforcing federal firearms restrictions. The Kansas City Star reports that under the sweeping Second Amendment Preservation Act would invalidate gun registration, firearm tracking rules and limits on certain people having guns. This bill represents nearly a decade-long effort by Missouri Republicans to calm concerns among gun owners who have feared said overreach. The House passed the bill on Friday with a vote off 111-42 after the Senate had passed it Thursday with a 22-10 vote.
“We are doing this bill because the Second Amendment is under attack. It’s under attack by the Democrats, specifically the Biden Administration and the Democrats in Washington,” said Rep. Jered Taylor (R). Critics said this bill will prevent police from partnering with the federal government on violent drug-or trafficking-related crimes and that the bill is a violation of the Constitution.
Missouri was reported to have 689 people who were shot and killed across the state, making it the third highest-per capita rate of gun deaths in the nation last year. Rep. Perter Merideth (D) said, “passing bills like this with unanimous support by the majority party emboldens the people with these really outside views.” The bill will block local police from assisting federal agents in enforcing those laws and prohibits them from hiring former federal agents who had enforced them. Missouri is one of about a dozen states who have passed similar measures earlier this year.