On Wednesday, Missouri Democrats in the state Legislature introduced a bill that would outright ban the transfer, purchase, manufacture, import or possession of military-style ‘assault’ weapons and high-capacity magazines.
House Bill 545 has no grandfather clause. Meaning, those who fail to sell, get rid of, or turn over their ‘illegal’ guns and magazines within 90 days would be slapped with a felony.
Rep. Roy Ellinger sponsored the bill along with his Democratic peers, Reps. Jill Schupp, Margo McNeil and Walton Gray.
“Any person who, prior to the effective date of this law, was legally in possession of an assault weapon or large capacity magazine shall have ninety days from such effective date to do any of the following without being subject to prosecution,” the proposed bill states.
Law-abiding gun owners would have the following options to ensure compliance with the law were the bill to pass:
(1) Remove the assault weapon or large capacity magazine from the state of Missouri;
(2) Render the assault weapon permanently inoperable; or
(3) Surrender the assault weapon or large capacity magazine to the appropriate law enforcement agency for destruction, subject to specific agency regulations.
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5. Unlawful manufacture, import, possession, purchase, sale, or transfer of an assault weapon or a large capacity magazine is a class C felony.
This bill represents the new wave of gun control that is sweeping across the country. Following the lead of the traditional gun control heavyweights: New York, California, and Illinois, pro-gun control lawmakers at the state level nationwide are pushing for more aggressive gun control reform.
Last month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rammed through his Draconian gun bill, which mandates universal gun registration and outright bans the possessions, sale, transfer, etc. of magazines holding more than seven rounds of ammunition.
Last week, California Democrats introduced a multitude of gun control measures, including a confiscatory bill that would seek to round up the state’s estimated 166,000 semi-automatic rifles.
Now, this week, there is this Missouri bill, which has already been used as the framework for a similar gun confiscation measure in Minnesota. According to reports, Minnesota Democrats introduced their version of HB 545 (HB 241) on Thursday.
Many believe that the odds of HB 545 passing in Missouri are slim given that the Legislature is controlled by the GOP.
In fact, state Rep. Caleb Rowden tweeted on Monday, “To the MANY asking about HB 545, rest assured it has no chance of passing. The 2nd Amendment rights of Missourians will be protected!”
But one can argue that even though HB 545 is doomed to fall by the wayside, these pro-gun control lawmakers are actually trying to send a message to the gun community. That message: “We’re never going to give up the fight for public disarmament.”