A new bill confronting Missouri lawmakers and set for vote on Wednesday would give broad rights to gun owners in the state, allowing them to own machine guns and guaranteeing that federal authorities could not seize them.
Any federal agent who did try to confiscate the high-powered weapons, currently banned by federal law, would be arrested, the bill says, as CNN reported.
And one more gun ownership right in the bill: If passed, nobody would be allowed to publish information about those who own the weapons, CNN reported.
“There are people saying this is the same as seceding from the Union,” said gun owner Kevin Jamison in the CNN report. “Missouri did not secede from the Union in 1862, and it does not do so by passing this law.”
The bill’s already received the stamp of approval once from the House and Senate, which are controlled by Republicans. It was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon, who’s a Democrat. But now, lawmakers are launching an override and hoping to pass it into law, and the bill’s sponsor is optimistic about its chances for passage.
“This bill doesn’t put one new gun on the street,” said state Rep. Doug Funderburk. “It strictly says that Missouri is going to protect the Second Amendment rights of Missourians.”
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The specifics of House Bill 436, CNN said: The proposal would criminalize any attempt to make gun buyers undergo background checks or publish names of gun owners in any venue. The proposal would let residents own machine guns. The bill would declare it a misdemeanor offense for any federal agent to attempt to enforce federal gun laws that conflict with the state’s provisions.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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