Actual 'gun control' bill is proposed in Missouri House

Republicans give the bill 'no chance' of passing. They call it, in effect, 'meaningless.'

February 14, 2013|by Jerry Jacob, KY3 News | jjacob@ky3.com

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A bill proposed Thursday in the Missouri House of Representatives is "meaningless" with "no chance" of becoming law. That has not prevented an avalanche of attention from quickly forming.

"We have received tons of calls about it today from around the country," said Rep. Lincoln Hough, R - Springfield.

House Bill 545 is the first Missouri or federal proposal that would make illegal a weapon that some people legally own right now. The bill would make it a Class C felony to manufacture, import, possess, purchase, sell, or transfer any assault weapon or large capacity magazine.

It has, according to Missouri lawmakers whom KY3 reached on Thursday, a less-than-remote chance of becoming law.

"The bill's sponsor has a better chance of being the next Pope," texted Rep. Eric Burlison, R - Springfield.

"Impossible. No way. It has no chance of passing either chamber," said Sen. Bob Dixon, R - Springfield.

"Not only will it never become law, it will never even get debated. It will never even get referred to a committee," said Hough. "Most bills at least get referred to committee. This won't."

HB 545 can be read HERE.

One of many national reports on the issue can be read HERE. It, like many of the national reports, includes a call to action by contacting their legislature, but ignores the bill's complete lack of legislative support.

The bill was proposed Thursday by Rep. Rory Ellinger, D - St. Louis County. It was co-sponsored by three other representatives from the St. Louis area, all Democrats.

Lawmakers say this bill goes so far that it does not have measurable support from hardly anyone in either party.

"The Seconnd Amendment has ardent supporters on both sides of the aisles," said Hough.

Lawmakers are concerned that the growing furor over HB 545, despite its lack of any chance of becoming law, would throw up a barrier of distraction in front of the real solutions being debated.

"Most lawmakers, and thankfully most constituents now, recognize that any focus on banning possession of weapons is missing the point of addressing the current problem," said Dixon, referring to the recent spate of public mass murders as well as the recent wave of gun-thusiasm. "The focus must be on mental health. I hope people will get behind the movement to increase mental health treatment with the same energy they have on protecting their gun rights, because that's where the real debate is happening in the legislature. This gun bill is just one of those silly things that someone proposed. People do that sort of thing every session. It is (in effect) meaningless."

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