Listening to #moleg debate legislation that can hand control over policing in St. Louis to GOP politicians. Instead of heated rhetoric on alleged "demonization" of police officers, lawmakers should be working to address our state's weak safety laws that hamstring police. #SAPA
As this lawmaker from St. Louis exurbs lists an array of gun crimes in his area--blaming St. Louis for his community's problems--is mentioning the Missouri Chamber of Commerce's recommendations on crime. Let's look at their recommendations then. Public safety is a business issue.
Our police have actually been asking for lawmakers to address gun crime for years. Here's one place the Chamber of Commerce cites our state's gun violence as a point of concern: mochamber.com/wp-content/upl…#moleg
One thing the data shared in the Chamber of Commerce report doesn't say: St. Louis (or any city) or its policing methods are to blame for increased violent crime. #moleg
Here's something the Missouri Chamber of Commerce *does* point to as a problem: Missouri gun laws. It's the Chamber saying #SAPA confusion means many police believe working with any federal agency on a weapons-related case is prohibited. #moleg
This is Missouri's *Chamber of Commerce* saying that "communities can be made safer when state and federal law enforcement officials collaborate to take violent criminals off the streets." Thereport explicitly calls for fixing the disastrous 2nd Amendment Preservation Act. #moleg
When we talk about public safety in the context of increasing/protecting tools to support policing to support business and growth, if MO GOP lawmakers were not just brazenly politicizing crime they'd address the mess they made with #SAPA in 2021. #molegmochamber.com/wp-content/upl…
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Back at #moleg early this morning for a Senate hearing on SB666, a dangerous and unnecessary expansion of Stand Your Ground law in Missouri. Looking forward to hearing lots of powerful testimony—and then whatever it is that the gun lobby is here to say. @momsdemand
Under current law, law-abiding Missourians have the right to self-defense, including with means of deadly force. However, Stand Your Ground laws encourage armed vigilantism by allowing a person to shoot and kill another person in public even when they can walk away safely #moleg
I'm here to offer testimony for Missouri @MomsDemand. We don’t need a law that not only gives people the right to seek out dangerous situations, then shoot first, ask questions later--but this serves to dismantle the practice of due process in our criminal justice system. #moleg
Two #moleg House bills being heard now that would force more hidden, loaded guns on public buses and trains. Missouri is a permitless carry state--since 2017 we've had no requirement to have any kind of training or background checks to conceal carry. HB 1462 and 1660 require CCW.
Rep. Richard Brown--who rides KC buses regularly--questions sponsors, citing conversations with many fellow riders who want to be able to ride without people carrying guns on the bus. He's concerned about the application of this bill: more and more people carrying guns. #moleg
Sponsors suggest those riding buses will never know who's carrying a gun, scoffing at the idea looser gun laws have led to a wild west situation.
Missouri's gun death rate over time, sadly, says otherwise: it increased 70% from 2011-2020 in Missouri, vs. 33% nationally. #moleg