Rolla legislator: It is our duty to resist federal gun laws

In his latest report, Rep. Keith Frederick, R-Rolla, criticizes Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal's bill which would require all parents who own guns to report that fact to their local school districts. Frederick also proudly notes that he is a sponsor of Casey Guernsey's bill, which would criminalize any effort to enforce new federal gun laws and regulations.

As I sit here and write this report today, I have before me a Senate Bill that was introduced by Missouri Senator Chappelle-Nadal, SB 124.  This bill, if enacted, would require a parent to notify a school district or a private or charter school that he or she owns a firearm within 30 days of enrolling the child in school or becoming the owner of a firearm.  Look this one up on the House website here.  You will see that it creates the crime of failing to stop illegal firearm possession if a parent allows a child under the age of 18 to possess a gun.  It also would create the crime of negligent storage of a firearm.  This new bill would carry a fine of up to $1,000 dollars. My opinion is that this bill does not have a chance of passing the House, but I have been wrong before, and I will be watching the bill closely.  This is a knee jerk response to the tragedy that occurred in Connecticut and does not represent well thought out legislation.  I will strongly oppose it.

 I am a Co-Sponsor of HB 170 which was introduced by Rep. Casey Guernsey.  This is a bill that has been introduced in a number of state legislatures to protect their citizens’ rights to keep and bear arms.  I have gotten a number of emails from constituents urging me to support this bill and I have written back to let them know I was a Co-Sponsor when the bill was filed.    There is some concern on the left that this bill may have some unconstitutional components to it.  It has even been suggested to me by a liberal Democrat Representative that this bill amounts to treason!  My response is that treason means betraying your country, and I believe that a great many citizens of our country and of Missouri feel betrayed by the elite in government who are trying to infringe on their second amendment rights to keep and bear arms. This bill protects the rights of the Missourians who purchase guns made in Missouri, and owned in Missouri, among other provisions.   It also asserts the right of the state of Missouri to be free of intervention from federal officials over the Constitutional activities of Missourians acting in compliance with state law and the Constitution.

If by executive order our President intends to negate the second amendment in any way, then it is the duty of the people and my duty as your representative to resist that effort.