By a vote of 23 to 7, the State Senate has approved a conceal and carry gun bill. The bill passed the Senate after more than twelve hours of debate that saw some Senate Democrats offering amendment after amendment in an effort to bog down the process and delay, or perhaps even put off, a final vote on the conceal and carry measure. In the end, the stalling was ended by a Democrat – Senator Harold Caskey of Butler, the sponsor of the bill – who who put forward a motion to ask the previous question – a parliamentary manouver designed to end debate and force a vote. This tactic had only been used nine times in the previous century and the move caused quite a stir. Opposition to the vote in favor of conceal and carry came from St. Louis and Kansas City Democrats. A House-Senate conference will now iron out the differences between the two versions. The differences are minor.
