Missouri: Act Now to Nullify Federal Gun Control

Missouri House Bill 436, the 2nd amendment preservation act, is going up for a final vote on the Senate Floor as early as Monday. The already passed the House by a strong-veto proof majority and moved out of the Senate General Laws Committee last week

HB436 would nullify virtually every federal gun control measure on the books – past, present and future.  Please read on to learn more and take action right now to support the Constitution and your right to keep and bear arms!

We need your help to keep this bill moving. Call your Senators and ask them for their support for HB436. We need a veto proof majority.

Action Items

1. Contact your State Senator. Strongly, but respectfully, let him or her know that you want nothing less than a YES on HB436.

Contact info here
http://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Leg_Lookup.aspx 

2. Share this information widely.  Please pass this along to your friends and family.  Also share it with any and all grassroots groups you’re in contact with around the state.  Please encourage them to email this information to their members and supporters.

3. Encourage your local community to take action as well.  Present the 2nd Amendment Preservation Act to your city county, your town council, or your county commissioners.  Various local governments around the country are already passing similar resolutions and ordinances.  Local legislative action is a great way to strengthen a statewide campaign against 2nd Amendment violations.

model legislation here:
http://tenthamendmentcenter.com/2ndamendmentpreservation/

4. Connect with the Tenth Amendment Center on Social Media. Join the grassroots activism group - http://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndAmendmentMissouri/

FUTURE ACTIONS

Once the Senate passes the bill it will have to go back to the House for a final up or down vote.

After the House votes again, the bill will be delivered to the Governor to sign, veto, or do nothing, in which case it becomes law automatically.

If he vetoes it and there’s more than 15 days left in the session, the legislature can attempt to override his veto before May 17th. If there’s less than 15 days, it will have to wait for the standard September veto session.

BILL INFORMATION

HB436, the 2nd Amendment Preservation Act, might be the most appropriately named bill anywhere.  It proposes to do just what’s in the title, and would nullify virtually all federal gun control measures on the books – “past, present, or future.”  It reads, in part:

All federal acts, laws, orders, rules, and regulations, whether past, present, or future, which infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 23 of the Missouri Constitution shall be invalid in this state, shall not be recognized by this state, shall be specifically rejected by this state, and shall be considered null and void and of no effect in this state.

(2) Such federal acts, laws, orders, rules, and regulations include, but are not limited to:

(a) The provisions of the federal Gun Control Act of 1934;
(b) The provisions of the federal Gun Control Act of 1968;
(c) Any tax, levy, fee, or stamp imposed on firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition not common to all other goods and services which could have a chilling effect on the purchase or ownership of those items by law-abiding citizens;
(d) Any registering or tracking of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition which could have a chilling effect on the purchase or ownership of those items by law-abiding citizens
(e) Any registering or tracking of the owners of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition which could have a chilling effect on the purchase or ownership of those items by law-abiding citizens;
(f) Any act forbidding the possession, ownership, or use or transfer of any type of firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition by law-abiding citizens; and
(g) Any act ordering the confiscation of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition from law-abiding citizens.

There is no stronger protection for the right to keep and bear arms anywhere in the country – if passed into law.  Currently that title goes to Kansas, where an almost-as-strong bill is sitting on Governor Brownback’s desk awaiting signature or veto.

A companion bill, SB325 introduced by State Senator Brian Nieves, has already passed the General laws committee in the Senate and will go through a similar process there.  Moving both bills simultaneously is an excellent strategy towards passage into law as it will help fast track the measures to the Governor’s desk with enough time on the calendar to override his veto.  Inside sources say if the committees move the bills forward, a veto-proof majority is attainable with strong grassroots support.

ADDITIONAL READING AND RESOURCES

The 2nd Amendment Preservation Act IS constitutional

How to Respond to Unlawful Orders

The 2nd Amendment didn’t “grant” rights