Fairfax, VA-In his 2007 State of the State Address Wednesday night, Governor Matt Blunt laid out his list of priorities for Missouri’s 2007 legislative session. National Rifle Association (NRA)-backed “Castle Doctrine” and “Emergency Powers Protection” bills were included in the Governor’s legislative priorities.
“We are grateful that Governor Blunt chose to highlight such vital self-defense bills as ‘Castle Doctrine’ and ‘Disaster Recovery Personal Protection’ for the good people of Missouri,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “It is fundamental to our American way of life that honest, law-abiding citizens know the law is on their side if they are faced with criminal attack and act in self-defense .”
"Castle Doctrine" bills have been enacted in 15 states since 2005. These laws simply codify that if a criminal breaks into your home, your occupied vehicle or your place of business, or anywhere where you have a legal right to be, you may presume that the criminal is there to do bodily harm and you will be justified in using force to defend yourself and your loved ones.
After Hurricane Katrina, “Disaster Recovery Personal Protection” legislation was signed into law by President Bush and 10 state governors. These laws prohibit the wholesale confiscation of firearms from law-abiding citizens during national emergencies. After Hurricane Katrina, city politicians issued an order to confiscate all firearms from victims. This order left many victims vulnerable to looters and other criminals at a time when 9-1-1 was non-existent and an already overstrained law enforcement were busy with search and rescue missions.
"Law-abiding Missourians should not be punished when they use force to defend themselves and their families,” said Governor Blunt during his address. “I urge you to pass legislation that protects Missourians when they defend themselves from attack. I also ask you to pass legislation that guarantees Missourians will retain their Second Amendment rights, especially in times of emergency."
“On behalf of NRA’s 4 million members and our members across Missouri, I want to thank Governor Blunt for his support of these two vital concepts,” concluded Cox. “We look forward to working with the Missouri General Assembly to pass ‘Castle Doctrine’ and ‘Disaster Recovery Personal Protection’ into law this year.”
-nra-
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.
More Like This From Around The NRA
