Rep. Sommer promises bill to expand conceal/carry rights

In her latest report, Rep. Chrissy Sommer, R-St. Charles,  says she will fight to protect your right to hold on to your assault weapons, adding that she plans to introduce a bill this week to increase conceal/carry rights. 

The Second Amendment to the United State Constitution states: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” 

Here in Missouri, the Republican led legislature is dedicated to upholding and protecting the fundamental rights of our citizens as outlined in the Constitution. Legislation that is clearly an infringement on our Constitution deserves nothing but a swift and public execution. 

There have been several pieces of legislation filed in the House to protect the rights of Missourians. One of those is my HB 162 called the "Firearm Freedom Act”. This legislation is designed to push back against attempts by the White House to tighten the nation’s gun control laws. 

HB 162 would specify that a personal firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in the State of Missouri and that remains within the borders of the state is not subject to federal law or regulation under the authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce. The bill also would require any firearm manufactured or sold in the state to have the words "Made in Missouri" clearly stamped on a central metallic part of the firearm. 

This piece of legislation, while titled the Missouri Firearms Freedom Act, is about more than just the Second Amendment. This is about our rights as established by the United States Constitution under the Tenth Amendment. I was very pleased to stand up today for Liberty and our state sovereignty under the United States Constitution. 

The legislation now awaits a vote by the House General Laws Committee before moving forward in the legislative process. 

But we cannot just presume that those who want to take aware your rights are just sitting by patiently. Actually you have probably heard a lot of talk in the past few months, especially this past week, about all the different tactics being proposed by Democrats in D.C. and now Missouri that not only violate but eradicate our second amendment rights.

One of those attacks, HB 545, came late last week from Rep. Rory Ellinger (D-86). House Bill 545 is one of the most preposterous anti-gun bills filed this year as it would turn many law-abiding gun owners into felons.

This infringement would ban the possession, sale, transfer or manufacturing of certain semi-automatic rifles and magazines that are capable of holding more than ten rounds. It contains no grandfather clause, which means if you are currently in possession of the semi-automatic rifles and magazines outlined in this bill, you will have 90 days from the effective date of this legislation to surrender, destroy or remove these currently lawful items from Missouri. If you fail to do so, you could be charged with a Class C felony. 

I can tell you that I as well as many of your Missouri legislators believe it is their fundamental responsibility to defend and protect Missourians’ basic constitutional rights framed in both the US and Missouri Constitutions. I have been working months on legislation to expand your rights to conceal and carry and plan on filing this bill sometime this upcoming week.