St. Charles State Senator proposes bill that would ban enforcement of red flag laws

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) – The Missouri Senate is contemplating a invoice that may ban a purple flag legislation earlier than such a legislation is even handed by the Missouri Legislature or the US Congress.

The invoice, SB 10, would ban such purple flag legal guidelines, generally often known as ‘excessive threat safety orders’, sometimes entail quickly seizing a gun from a person following a court docket order.

Senator Invoice Eigel (R) of St. Charles, who can also be operating for Missouri Governor, is adamantly against purple flag legal guidelines, saying that sort of legislation would take firearms away from the mistaken folks.

He believes no legislation would cease gun violence in St. Louis.

“The management construction within the metropolis of St. Louis is letting lawlessness and chaos to persist. So till that modifications there isn’t a purple flag legislation or gun management measure that may be inflicted upon legislation abiding residents of the state that’s going to alter the path,” mentioned Eigel.

His invoice the ‘Anti Crimson Flag Gun Seizure Act’ would ban any enforcement of purple flag legal guidelines in Missouri, even when US Congress handed the legislation.

A purple flag might have prevented final 12 months’s mass taking pictures at Central Visible and Performing Arts Excessive College. The St Louis Police Division mentioned on the time they had been working with the household of the shooter to confiscate a gun, however tragedy occurred earlier than that might occur.

Information 4 requested Eigel if he was fearful extra mass shootings would occur in Missouri if there was a scarcity of a purple flag legislation.

“I fear that if we don’t tackle the foundation causes of the crime in these areas, which is prosecutors not prosecuting criminals, then it doesn’t matter what we go,” mentioned Eigel.

Kristin Bowen, a volunteer for Mothers Demand Motion, a corporation that seeks gun management legal guidelines, mentioned gun violence in Missouri is already sky excessive.

“I imply the underside line is that Missouri has a few of the weakest gun legal guidelines within the nation already and this gun legislation will push us within the mistaken path,” mentioned Bowen.

She mentioned a purple flag legislation could have prevented the varsity taking pictures at CVPA Excessive College in 2022, however it could additionally go a good distance in rural communities, notably with suicide deaths.

“When folks take into consideration purple flag, they consider faculty shootings and mass shootings however in truth we’re speaking about saving lives and stopping tragedies that don’t seize headlines,” mentioned Bowen.

Whereas there isn’t a purple flag laws on the books statewide or nationally, the State of Missouri obtained $5.4 million from the federal authorities this month for disaster intervention applications, which may embrace purple flag provisions.

Eigel was blunt when requested how he would cease gun violence in St. Louis, pointing the finger at embattled Circuit Lawyer Kim Gardner.

“I feel the best factor we will do is begin prosecuting criminals. I imply generally the simplest reply is probably the most urgent,” mentioned Eigel.

President of the St. Louis Board of Training instructed Information 4 that this was “ridiculous” laws.

He mentioned he desires cheap options to stop mass shootings in colleges, happening to name the taking pictures at CVPA “preventable.”

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