Missouri General Assembly Closes Out Successful Session!

The 2007 General Assembly session adjourned sine die at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 18. With the final gavel, Missouri’s law-abiding gun owners, hunters and sportsmen concluded one of the most successful sessions in recent memory. Among the many advances made during this session was the passage of:

-Senate Bill 225: The “Hunting Heritage Protection Areas Act,” which was sponsored by State Senator Bill Stouffer (R-21), prohibits taxpayer-financed development projects within the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers 100 year flood plain, as well as prohibits localities from banning lawful hunting and sport shooting in the protected areas. This precedent-setting legislation will protect Missouri’s time-honored hunting heritage and critical wildlife habitat for current and future hunters and sport shooters;

-Senate Bill 257: Sponsored by State Senator Kevin Engler (R-3), prohibits any government agency from confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens during a state of emergency.  This bill was signed into law on April 13, 200 at NRA's Annual Meeting in St. Louis;

-Senate Bill 62: Sponsored by State Senator Jack Goodman (R-29), provides that law-abiding Missourians no longer have a “duty to retreat” from a criminal attack and may stand their ground to defend themselves, their families, and their property. After being amended in the House of Representatives, and passed by both chambers, SB62 also repeals Missouri’s outdated, discriminatory and arbitrary “permit to acquire” a handgun statute; exempts Federal Flight Deck Officers from needing a license to carry a concealed handgun; provides that certain current retired peace officers and Corrections Officers may provide proof of law-enforcement training to satisfy the training requirement for a license to carry concealed; and allows for local law enforcement agencies to sell firearms confiscated from criminals to Federally Licensed Firearm Dealers. 

Additional information, including roll call votes for all of the above-mentioned bills, can be found at http://www.moga.state.mo.us/

If your Senator and/or Representative voted for the NRA-backed bills above, please contact them and thank them for their support of Missouri’s law-abiding firearm owners, hunters and sportsmen!