Davis: DOR lied; it wants to help Obama take your guns

In his latest report, Rep. Charlie Davis, R-Webb City, is alarmed about the Department of Revenue allegedly serving as a conduit to allow the federal government to keep tabs on all law abiding gun-owning Missourians. It's business as usual in Jefferson City.

It was a busy week in the state Capitol and much of my focus was on allegations that the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) is scanning and disseminating our private information to external parties and possibly the federal government. If you’ve followed the news, you have likely seen that a Stoddard County resident filed a lawsuit against the department after they told him it was a requirement to scan and save his "source documents" (birth certificate, social security card, marriage license, divorce decree, utility bill, etc.) in order to add his concealed carry status to his driver’s license. He believes, as do I, that the state has no business keeping electronic copies of this information, and certainly has no right to send the information to companies that operate outside of Missouri, as seems to be the current practice.  Representatives from DOR answered questions in the Capitol this week about this fiasco; making matters worse by being evasive, changing their story, and frankly "lying" as described by Senator Schaefer, who held a hearing with DOR on Monday. This is especially concerning given the fact the White House has made it clear it wants to establish a federal gun owner database, and the new equipment that is currently being installed in local license offices has reportedly been provided through a grant with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  To combat this situation, we are pursuing several avenues. We have crafted HB818 that will further protect our 2nd Amendment rights, and prevent state agencies from creating or assisting the federal government to compile information relating to firearms, ammunition, or firearm accessories. Todd Richardson has filed HB787 that would prohibit DOR from scanning personal documents and transferring them to an out-of-state database. Together, these measures send a strong message that the Missouri House is ready to defend the privacy rights of all Missourians. Following Spring Break, these bills will be heard in committee, and quickly moved to the House floor.