On Monday, the Democrat governor of Missouri vetoed a plan that would loosen the state’s current gun laws. Governor Jay Nixon explained his action by saying the initiative was a “drastic departure” from the current laws.
“Here in Missouri, responsible gun ownership and support for the Second Amendment are strongly held values. These values are part of who we are, and a tradition we pass from generation to generation,” Nixon said. “But I cannot support the extreme step of throwing out that process entirely, eliminating sensible protections like background checks and training requirements, and taking away the ability of sheriffs to protect their communities.”
Nixon has been accommodating to gun-rights legislation in the past. However he is ending his second term and cannot run for re-election so he does not have to face the residents of his state at the ballot box after vetoing this bill.
Nixon also said his decision had nothing to do with the gun-control-propagandized Orlando shooting.
The proposed legislation would eliminate the need to get a permit to conceal a weapon and expand the Castle doctrine beyond the parameters of a person’s house. Additionally, the law would no longer require a person to retreat to safety before using lethal force.
The good news is that the Missouri Senate and Legislature have enough votes to override Nixon’s veto. The governor said he hopes the legislators have time to reconsider their bill before the new session starts in September.
In the House, the measure received 114 votes. In order to become law, it would need 109 votes to overcome a veto. The legislation received 24 votes in the Senate, one more than is needed to override.
“I think given time to look at this and analyze it and see the system and framework we had before, I think people are going to say we don’t need to veer dramatically away from what was working in Missouri,” Nixon said.
Let’s hope not.
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