sEPT. 11, 2014

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers expanded the potential for teachers to bring guns to schools and for residents to openly carry firearms, in a vote Thursday that capped a two-year effort by the Republican-led Legislature to expand gun rights over the objection of the Democratic governor.

The new law will allow specially trained school employees to carry concealed guns on campuses. It also allows anyone with a concealed weapons permit to carry guns openly, even in cities or towns with bans against the open carrying of firearms. The age to obtain a concealed weapons permit also will drop from 21 to 19.

A more far-reaching measure that sought to nullify federal gun control laws had died in the final hours of the legislative session in May. Gov. Jay Nixon had vetoed a similar bill last year that could have subjected federal officers to state criminal charges and lawsuits for attempting to enforce federal gun control laws.

The new regulations, which this time garnered the two-thirds majority needed to override Nixon's veto, take effect in about a month.

Missouri school boards already have the power to allow employees with concealed gun permits to carry weapons on their campuses. The new law requires the state Department of Public Safety to establish training guidelines for schools wanting to designate a teacher or administrator as a "school protection officer" authorized to carry a concealed gun or self-defense spray.

"I think it's important that we train those individuals if they are going to be carrying," said state Sen. Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee's Summit, who sponsored the bill.

The vote makes Missouri the 10th state to pass legislation allowing armed school employees since 20 children and six adults died during a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.

States such as New York, California and Connecticut ramped up gun restrictions since the shooting, opinion echoed by Democratic members of the state Senate.

"The reality is we're making our cities les safe," said state Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City.

Conservative states, including Missouri, did the opposite.

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Gun bill is SB656.

Online:

Senate: http://www.senate.mo.gov

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers expanded the potential for teachers to bring guns to schools and for residents to openly carry firearms, in a vote Thursday that capped a two-year effort by the Republican-led Legislature to expand gun rights over the objection of the Democratic governor.

The new law will allow specially trained school employees to carry concealed guns on campuses. It also allows anyone with a concealed weapons permit to carry guns openly, even in cities or towns with bans against the open carrying of firearms. The age to obtain a concealed weapons permit also will drop from 21 to 19.

A more far-reaching measure that sought to nullify federal gun control laws had died in the final hours of the legislative session in May. Gov. Jay Nixon had vetoed a similar bill last year that could have subjected federal officers to state criminal charges and lawsuits for attempting to enforce federal gun control laws.

The new regulations, which this time garnered the two-thirds majority needed to override Nixon's veto, take effect in about a month.

Missouri school boards already have the power to allow employees with concealed gun permits to carry weapons on their campuses. The new law requires the state Department of Public Safety to establish training guidelines for schools wanting to designate a teacher or administrator as a "school protection officer" authorized to carry a concealed gun or self-defense spray.

"I think it's important that we train those individuals if they are going to be carrying," said state Sen. Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee's Summit, who sponsored the bill.

The vote makes Missouri the 10th state to pass legislation allowing armed school employees since 20 children and six adults died during a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.

States such as New York, California and Connecticut ramped up gun restrictions since the shooting, opinion echoed by Democratic members of the state Senate.

"The reality is we're making our cities les safe," said state Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City.

Conservative states, including Missouri, did the opposite.

___

Gun bill is SB656.

Online:

Senate: http://www.senate.mo.gov

http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2014/09/11/missouri-lawmakers-expand-gun-in-schools-cities