REPORTS: Missouri Supreme Court to hear challenge to new gun law Monday - KY3

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - The Missouri Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday in a case challenging a controversial gun law.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other media organizations report that the Missouri Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the Second Amendment Preservation Act, which Gov. Mike Parson signed into law in July 2021.

The new law, introduced by Missouri State Rep. Jered Taylor (R-Republic) in the 2021 legislative session, prohibits the enforcement of federal gun laws by local law enforcement agencies.

“I think anything on the federal level as it relates to the Second Amendment is an infringement,” said Taylor in February 2021 interview with KY3. “If anyone were to pass gun legislation, it should be on the state level... We’re just telling the federal government we’re not going to help you enforce your federal gun laws.”

Under the bill, Missouri agencies with police who knowingly enforce any federal laws could be sued and fined up to $50,000 per violating officer.

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott is among the law enforcement leaders who have shown some concerns about the ramifications of the bill. However, he pointed out during ainterview with KY3 that he is not against the intent of the legislation.

“I believe the goal is we don’t want a federal gun grab and I totally agree with the concept,” Arnott said in an interview with KY3 last year. “I do believe in the general direction the bill was going in trying to keep Missouri citizens rights protected to keep and bear arms. But there’s some language that was pretty harsh to go against law enforcement and some gray area that would prevent us from referring cases over to the U.S. Attorney’s office.”

Missouri lawmakers passed a bill similar to the Second Amendment Preservation Act in 2013, which was vetoed by then-Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat. The legislature fell just shy of overriding Nixon’s veto.

The new law was also sponsored by State Sen. Eric Burlison (R-Battlefield), who recently introduced more gun legislation to Missouri lawmakers. Supporters of Senate Bill 666 say the legislation would strengthen the state’s self-defense laws, but one prosecutor has dubbed it as the “Make Murder Legal Act.”

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source: https://www.ky3.com/2022/02/06/reports-missouri-supreme-court-hear-challenge-new-gun-law-monday/

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