Missouri Gun Bill Limiting Feds Enforcement Role Advances

(AP) – Missouri Republicans moved a step closer in their attempt to nullify some federal gun laws Wednesday when the Senate passed legislation that would bar federal workers from some state careers for enforcing such policies.

The Senate voted 23-8 to send the bill back to the House, where it passed earlier. The House can either accept the Senate’s changes or negotiate a compromise version.

Senators voted for the bill along party lines with Republicans in support and Democrats in opposition. It would declare “null and void” any past, present or future federal law deemed to be an infringement on gun rights for law-abiding citizens.

Federal agents who knowingly enforce those laws could face civil penalties stemming from lawsuits filed by Missouri residents who think their gun rights were infringed. Those workers would also be banned from future careers in state or local enforcement.

“We want to cause a reason for law enforcement to have a healthy pause before they might infringe on the Second Amendment rights of Missouri citizens,” said Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington.

One of the major differences between the House and Senate is the punishment for federal workers who enforce certain gun laws. The House version would only allow agents to be sued and would not subject them to the employment ban included in the Senate bill.