Gun rights have always been one of my top priorities, and I am proud of the victories I have helped achieve in the legislature.
For instance, I have sponsored or co-sponsored several pro-gun bills, and we are now blessed to live in a state that leads the country in protecting our constitutional freedoms. Nevertheless, there is always the need to guard against those who seek to disarm us, and this legislative session is no different.
As we know, crime in Missouri is out of control. For the most recent year data was available, Missouri’s murder rate was the second highest in the country. The biggest contributors to the horrible statistics are the largest urban areas, Kansas City and St. Louis. To combat the unending carnage, the House is considering a large crime bill that addresses several areas.
One of the most important parts of the bill is allowing the appointment of a special prosecutor in high-crime areas. This will allow the governor to take action when local authorities fail to do so, and this has recently been a huge problem in St. Louis City. The elected prosecuting attorney, Kimberly Gardner, has consistently failed to hold violent criminals accountable. This legislation will allow the state to step in and ensure the justice system works in one of the most important cities of our state.
The bill also addresses other important contributors to the ongoing crime wave. It will expand the range of crimes for which a minimum prison sentence shall be imposed. The legislation also contains provisions involving law enforcement training, protection of judges, and negligently firing guns within municipalities.
During floor debate, the anti-gun Democrats tried and failed to reverse our progress on the second amendment. They proposed numerous amendments that would strip you of our constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
One Democrat filed an amendment to ban those under age eighteen from having firearms on public property without adult supervision. This is designed to solve the problem of kids walking the streets of crime-ridden urban areas, but obviously infringes on the rights of all Missourians. I hunted when I was 10 years old, and hunted alone when I was 12 in Mark Twain National Forest. As long as I have the opportunity, I will work to ensure our young men and women have the ability to hunt on public lands.
Another Democrat decided that before transferring guns you need to have a dealer’s license or perform a background check. Under this idea, family members would not even be able to transfer guns to one another. They also wanted to impose restrictions on our right to open carry.
These attempts just prove that you should never be complacent, but instead should constantly guard against those hoping to chip away at your freedoms.
May God bless and keep you and our great nation.
Hardy Billington represents District 152, which includes parts of Butler and Dunklin counties.