Missouri measure nullifying federal gun laws fails in state Senate

An effort by Missouri legislators to expand gun rights and make federal gun regulations unenforceable failed by one vote in the state Senate Wednesday night, as the body’s top two Republican officials voted to sustain a veto by the Democratic governor.

Senators voted 22-12 to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of the legislation, failing to reach the required two-thirds threshold by a single vote. Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey and Majority Leader Ron Richard were the only two GOP members to vote against the legislation, which declared that any federal policies that “infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms” shall be invalid in Missouri. It would have created state misdemeanor charges against federal authorities who attempted to enforce those laws or anyone who published the identity of a gun owner. Another provision could have allowed police and prosecutors to be targeted with lawsuits for attempting to enforce the nullified laws.

Other parts of the bill would have lowered Missouri’s concealed-gun permit age to 19 instead of 21 and allowed specially trained teachers or administrators to serve as a “school protection officer” able to carry a concealed gun.

The override attempt already had passed the Republican-led House 109-49, getting the bare minimum number of votes needed.

The Missouri legislation was one of the boldest examples in a nationwide movement among states to nullify federal laws with which local officials disagree.

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