Missouri Rep. wants legislation to ban teens from buying semiautomatic guns

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – One Missouri lawmaker is pushing for laws that might ban youngsters from buying semiautomatic weapons and weapons within the state.

Missouri State Rep. David Smith (D-Columbia) shared Friday via Twitter that he intends to file such laws forward of the subsequent legislative session in Missouri.

Smith, who was elected to characterize Missouri’s forty fifth District final yr, has sponsored a number of payments with ties to public security and the justice system this yr. He informed FOX2 that this may be the primary time he launched laws in Missouri addressing gun legal guidelines.

Smith stated there’s a rising have to restrict semiautomatic purchases amongst teenagers. Throughout the final month, two youngsters have been accused of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, that resulted in 29 mixed deaths.

“I needed to ensure I’d suggest one thing that might have prevented that,” stated Smith in a cellphone name Tuesday with FOX2. “I assumed we have to get a deal with on that.”

Smith serves on the Missouri Home Rising Points Committee, possible the place the laws would first be heard. He will be unable to formally file laws till Missouri’s subsequent legislative session in January 2023.

Previous to then, Smith plans on speaking to gun security specialists to get a stronger thought of some plans and language that could possibly be included within the invoice. He hopes to get began on a draft over the summer time.

“Everybody agrees they’ve had sufficient,” stated Smith. “There needs to be some kind of limitations.”

Smith believes such laws may get assist from Democratic and Republican lawmakers. He has obtained assist from Missouri State Reps. Marlence Terry (D-St. Louis) and Bridget Moore (D-St. Louis County).

Nevertheless, there’s some opposition to Smith’s plan for laws. Missouri State Rep. Chuck Basye informed KMIZ that such laws would possibly make it “more durable for a law-abiding citizen” to get a firearm. Smith stated he was additionally stunned by some criticism of the laws by way of Twitter.

Nationally, the U.S. Home committee is planning to debate laws Thursday that would prohibit semiautomatic weapon gross sales to anybody below 21.