KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Despite a growing sense of urgency to address gun violence in the state’s two largest cities and a mass shooting at a high school last fall, the Missouri General Assembly has been slow to pursue any gun reforms.
Kristin Bowen, a deputy chapter leader for Moms Demand Action, which is a national organization advocating for stronger gun laws, is often in Jefferson City testifying. Bowen said when she is advocating for stricter gun laws she thinks about the recent bar shooting in Cape Girardeau, which left five injured, and shootings like the one last fall at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis, which killed two and injured seven.
“Instead of pushing to loosen our already incredibly loose gun laws, we should be taking steps in the other direction to face the gun violence crisis that we have in our state,” Bowen said. “...Quite honestly, you can draw a clear line from our weak gun laws and our undermined public safety to the tragic events that we’ve been seeing around the state.”
There have been slightly more than 5,000 gun-related deaths and about 8,000 injuries in Missouri since 2014, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive. Gun-related deaths have increased 70% from 2011 to 2020 in Missouri, compared to a 33% nationwide increase, according to data from Every Stat, which is Everytown for Gun Safety’s research base.
Republicans have successfully chipped away at Missouri gun laws for years, and over the last 20 years have made it so Missourians can buy guns without a permit, concealed carry guns without a permit and claim immunity in armed confrontations.
In 2021, the legislature passed the Second Amendment Preservation Act, which was overturned by a federal judge Tuesday. That law “nullified” federal gun laws, and blocked Missouri police from enforcing them.
Of the more than 40 gun-related bills filed in the House this session, few have had committee hearings. Several bills proposed by Democrats, who are in the super minority, would tighten gun laws. The few that have been heard by a committee are mostly Republican bills that would further weaken gun control in Missouri, though some of those have also not yet made it to a committee.
“Frankly, at the moment it seems like it’s more often trying to kill bills that are moving the other direction, or amend them to make them less horrible,” said Rep. Peter Merideth, a Democrat.
Rep. Mike Henderson, a Republican, said that he believes people have the right to feel safe, whether they are going to a baseball game or out to eat.
In order to do that, he said Republicans are trying to support police and prosecuting attorneys. He said they are exploring several avenues to address crime, but agreed gun control is not a focus of his party.
“I think we’re going to continue to be pro Second Amendment, but at the same time, you can’t say on any subject, you’re never willing to have discussions, and I think you should have those discussions,” Henderson said.
Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat, said much of what her proposed bills are trying to get done is just a move back to how gun laws used to be in the state years ago, like requiring a permit to purchase a gun.
Nurrenbern said Democrats often negotiate to attach their bills to the “moving vehicles,” or bills that are making progress. Although they don’t always agree with some of the bill language, it can be an effective way to give momentum to their legislation that might otherwise be stalled waiting for a committee hearing.
Democrats often complain that their bills are not getting committee hearings, which can effectively stop a bill in its tracks. House Speaker Dean Plocher, a Republican, assigns bills to committees once they are introduced.
“Something I just get frustrated by is that they aren’t even letting us have hearings on these bills,” Merideth said.
House Majority Floor Leader Jon Patterson, a Republican, said he thinks Democrats have had more bills assigned to a committee this session than he has seen in the past. He said ultimately, the speaker has the authority to decide on bill assignments.
The first public safety package that passed the House was, in its original form, a reflection of bipartisan negotiations. It would, among other things, allow Republican Gov. Mike Parson to appoint a special prosecutor to areas with high crime rates.
The original version of the bill would have also prohibited minors from carrying guns on public property. Republicans from rural areas pushed back on the legislation, saying their kids should be able to hunt without fear of criminal charges.
“We have a very different understanding of how firearms are being used in a municipality – Kansas City versus a rural community,” Nurrenbern said. “And I think you do have to really be cognizant of the geographical differences that make up the state of Missouri, we have very different concerns.”
That part of the bill was stripped out during floor debate in the House. After that, Nurrenbern filed a separate bill that would stop minors from carrying guns on public property, with carve outs for rural areas.
“I can’t see that legislation going anywhere. But I do think it’s important to continue the conversation,” Nurrenbern said.
Patterson said lawmakers are addressing crime from several angles, like from a policing and prosecutorial standpoint, and also focusing on juvenile crime.
“No Republican I know wants 14-year-olds to be walking around the City of St. Louis with guns,”
However, he voiced concerns about creating a broad law that could infringe on the rights of a teenager hunting on public land in rural Missouri.
“Are they going to be stuck with a criminal record? So, I think the debate on juveniles with guns is a bit more nuanced than has been portrayed,” Patterson said.
However, one bipartisan provision, Blair’s Law, which would criminalize shooting into the air, remained in the bill.
House Minority Floor Leader Crystal Quade, a Democrat, said much of the focus on crime and safety has been on St. Louis, and while she encourages conversations to continue, she said they should include the rest of the state.
Patterson said addressing crime is a main goal for Republicans, and gun violence is part of that. He said both parties are trying to get to the same place.
“But I think we tend to speak a different language. But if we all get together, I think we all want the same thing, which is safer streets, safer neighborhoods, and safer kids,” Patterson said.
Patterson said bipartisan efforts to find middle ground are not new this session.
“I think there’s always been. I’m not sure it’s always been portrayed that way,” Patterson said.
Quade said public safety is always a big priority for Democrats, and that includes laws about guns. She said the bills that have moved in the House so far all address ramifications for criminals, but no real crime prevention.
“There’s a lot of bipartisan discussion. There’s not a lot of bipartisan action,” Quade said.
