Creve Coeur Democrat to pre-file seven bills to prevent gun violence

(From Sen. Jill Schlupp, D-Creve Coeur)

Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, will pre-file seven bills to prevent gun violence. These bills reflect her commitment to public safety by preventing gun violence and implementing commonsense reforms to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who may pose a danger to themselves and others.

Earlier this week, a gunman murdered one woman and sexually assaulted another at a store on Manchester Road in Ballwin, MO. Local law enforcement released a description of the gunman, describing him as a white male, 40 to 50 years old, and around 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477.

“Gun violence is killing innocent Missourians. Many of these senseless tragedies could have been prevented through commonsense reforms to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of dangerous people,” Sen. Schupp said. “Our thoughts and prayers are not enough. We need action. The legislation I will be carrying during the 2019 legislative session will help Missouri take a positive step forward to prevent gun violence and save lives.”

In Missouri, deaths from gun violence have surpassed the number of deaths in vehicle crashes each year.

The seven bill to be pre-filed would:

· Establish an “extreme risk order of protection” procedure through the courts to allow for removal of firearms from persons posing a “red flag” or significant risk of causing injury to themselves or others;

· Prevent loaded guns from getting in the hands of children in unsupervised situations by requiring safe storage;

· Create a 24 hour “cooling off period” before selling or transferring a firearm;

· Require background checks for all firearms transfers;

· Close the “boyfriend loophole” by prohibiting possession of firearms by anyone subject to an order of protection or those convicted of a domestic violence offense;

· Outlaw “bump stocks” or other devices intended to increase the rate of fire; and

· Establish a statewide task force to research and study gun violence as a community health and safety issue.

By pre-filing the bills, Sen. Schupp ensures that the proposed legislation will be introduced on Jan. 9, the first day of the Missouri General Assembly’s 2019 session. For more information on Sen. Schupp’s legislation, visit her official Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/schupp.