Politics & Government

Legislator: Make It Illegal to Propose Gun Legislation

Rep. Mike Leara, R-St. Louis County, has proposed legislation that would criminalize lawmakers who propose gun legislation.

Should proposing a law be against the law? One St. Louis County lawmaker thinks so. 

Rep. Mike Leara, R-St. Louis County, proposed House Bill 633 Monday that would make it illegal to to propose legislation.

Leara's District 95 covers Crestwood, Sunset Hills and Fenton in South St. Louis County.

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According to PoliticMo, Leara's legislation would make it a felony for lawmakers to merely file legislation that would at all restrict gun rights.

Leara told PoliticMo that the bill was only to spark debate about gun rights, and believes it has no chance in the general assembly.

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“I have no illusions about the bill making it through the legislative process, but I want it to be clear that the Missouri House will stand in defense of the people’s constitutional right to keep and bear arms,” Leara said. 

Several area lawmakers including Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, who represents part of Florissant, and Rep. Rory Ellinger have proposed gun legislation this year.

Sen. Chappelle-Nadal's legislation would require parents to inform their child's school district if there is a gun in the home.  

Read Chappelle-Nadal's blog on the subject here.

In a separate action against any gun legislation Tuesday, Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield, posted a video to YouTube that shows a man firing a handgun repeatedly at a copy of House Bill 545, which prohibits the possession of assault weapons.

HB 545 was introduced by Rep. Ellinger. It bans the sale of assault weapons and requires owners to turn in such guns. Most of the video shows Burlison interviewing patrons of a shooting range on what they think about the bill. 

Read more on the issue:

  • Sen. Chappelle-Nadal Renews Call for Gun Safety
  • Update: Sen. Chappelle-Nadal Talks Gun Bill During Press Conference
  • Have a Gun? Proposed Bill Would Require You to Tell Your Child's School

What do you think of Rep. Leara's bill? Should we criminalize lawmakers for proposing laws?


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