Missouri: GOP-led House votes down proposal to ban kids from carrying guns

Missouri’s Republican-led House has voted against banning minors from openly carrying firearms on public land without adult supervision. The proposal failed by a 104-39 vote, while only one Republican voted in support of it. As the gun epidemic continues to spread in the US, Democratic Rep. Donna Baringer said police in her district had asked for the change. The police had sought to stop “14-year-olds walking down the middle of the street in the city of St. Louis carrying AR-15s.”

“Now they have been emboldened, and they are walking around with them,” Baringer said. “Until they actually brandish them, and brandish them with intent, our police officers’ hands are handcuffed.”

The measure was part of a House debate on the best way to fight crime, particularly in the St. Louis area.

Republican Rep. Lane Roberts, a former Joplin, Missouri police chief and state public safety director, had originally included gun restrictions for children in a broader crime bill. But lawmakers on a House committee led by Roberts took away the provision on guns last week.

“Every time we talked about the provision related to guns, we knew that that was going to be difficult on our side of the aisle,” Roberts said Wednesday.

Republicans called the proposal an infringement on gun rights.

“While it may be intuitive that a 14-year-old has no legitimate purpose, it doesn’t actually mean that they’re going to harm someone. We don’t know that yet,” said Rep. Tony Lovasco, a Republican from the St. Louis suburb of O’Fallon. “Generally speaking, we don’t charge people with crimes because we think they’re going to hurt someone.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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