The minimum age allowed to own a gun in Missouri is 19, but many Republicans want to lower it to 18 to get a concealed carry permit. The state House has given preliminary approval to a bill that would change the current law.
Rep. Tim Taylor, R-Bunceton, is sponsoring House Bill 328.
“Those people who require force because they have no other alternatives, or those people who choose to ride public transportation in this state deserve to have the same rights that I have in my rural area when it comes to protecting myself,” said Taylor.
Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, is not on board with the bill.
“This is yet another example of folks who do not live in St. Louis or Kansas City dictating what our gun laws are, and then pointing at us and saying, we cannot control our crime, that only the state can do it. Shame on you,” said Ingle.
Taylor also wants to allow people with a concealed carry permit to carry a gun while on public transportation – excluding Amtrak.
“I’m a traditionalist in the Second Amendment being the Constitutional right that’s worth protecting,” said Taylor. “Any time local control usurps the Constitution, then local control has to cease.”
Rep. Mark Boyko, D-Kirkwood, is also opposed to the proposal.
“The minimum age for concealed carry permit is 21 in Florida, Texas, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, all of them are almost identical to the death rate Missouri had when we were at 21. When we dropped it from 21 to 19, we’ve seen a 58% increase in the rate of gun deaths. That’s five to 600 more Missourians dead each and every year,” said Boyko.
One more House vote of approval would send the proposal to the Senate more eyes to look over the plan.
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