ICYMI: Lawmakers Rejected Dangerous Proposals to Roll Back Missouri Gun Laws

As your newsroom looks back on this year’s legislative session, I wanted to make sure you’re aware the close of the session on Friday marked the defeat of two gun lobby-backed bills that would have weakened state gun laws:

• HB 1936 would have forced colleges in Missouri to allow hidden, loaded handguns on campus, and it would have allowed guns in private schools, bars, daycares, and other sensitive areas across the state.
• HB 1937 would have prevented local governments in Missouri from regulating the open carry of firearms.

Throughout the legislative session, Missouri Moms Demand Action volunteers attended hearings on both these bills and shared their concerns with lawmakers in over 1,500 calls, thousands of emails and countless meetings. In February, more than 300 volunteers from across the state attended an advocacy day at the statehouse and urged legislators to reject HB 1936 and HB 1937.

The rejection of HB 1936 and HB 1937 marks the second straight year that Missouri lawmakers have defeated key gun lobby priorities in the state legislature, and it comes as the gun violence prevention movement in Missouri is rapidly growing, from the St. Louis metro area to Columbia to Springfield. If you have any questions on these bills or the organizing efforts of Missouri Moms Demand Action, please don’t hesitate to reach out.