MO: Missouri House votes for Constitutional Carry

In Missouri, the House just passed HB 1468, a combined permitless of “Constitutional” carry  and immunity from lawsuit for businesses that have a criminal act occur on the premises.  It also removes any prohibition on the carry of weapons in a person’s motor vehicle, and does not allow businesses to regulate what is inside of a motor vehicle that they do not lease, or own.

From mo.gov(pdf) Bill Summaries:

HB 1468 — FIREARMS (Burlison)

COMMITTEE OF ORIGIN:

Standing Committee on Emerging Issues
Currently, an individual with a permit to carry a concealed weapon
is exempt from the general statute banning the carrying of
concealed weapons in public areas. This bill repeals this general
prohibition on carrying concealed weapons such as firearms and
knives, except in the those places listed under Section 571.107,
RSMo.

The bill does not grant the same rights to carry firearms
concealed, except for carrying concealed firearms onto private
property whose owner has posted the premises as being off-limits to
concealed firearms, as the permit system which imposes only minimal
penalties for mistakes.

Every permitless or “Constitutional” carry state has some differences that apply at the fringes, but the sentiment is essentially the same.  People who are not forbidden from owning firearms may carry them openly or concealed, in most public places, without a permit.

This is the state of the law that existed when the Bill of Rights was ratified on 15 December, 1791.

Missouri has several similar bills filed in the House and the Senate.  HB 1468 passed the House 112 to 37.  That is enough to override a veto, if the bill makes it to Governor Nixon.  First, it has to pass the Senate.  The Missouri legislature has been relatively Second Amendment friendly, but Governor Jay Nixon, Democrat, has not. 

Governor Nixon vetoed a bill to restore and protect Second Amendment rights in  2014.  The legislature responded by overriding his veto on September11th of the same year. 

This year, three states, West Virginia, Idaho, and Mississippi have all passed legislation to make their state a member of the “Constitutional” carry club.  The current number stands at 10; some people say that Montana should be included, as Consittutional carry is in effect in 99% of the state.  Missouri would be the 11th or 12th state to join the club, depending on how you count.

Vermont, plus the nine states that have restored “Constitutional” carry now make up 20% of all the states in the Union.  They are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Wyoming.  They extend from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and from the Canadian border to the Mexican.   They outnumber the states that cling to the outdated notion of “may issue” concealed carry permits.

A number of other states have “Constitutional” or permitless carry legislation in the works.  Their number could pass majority status in a few years.

 ©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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