HCSHB1696--ILLEGALDISCHARGEOFAFIREARM
SPONSOR: Reedy
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonRuralCommunityDevelopmentbyavoteof12to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1696.
Currently,apersoncommitstheoffenseofunlawfuluseofaweapon
iftheydischargeorshootafirearmfromamotorvehicle. This
billallowsthedischargeofafirearmfromastationaryas
authorizedundertheMissouriWildlifeCode.
Thisbillalsoestablishes"Blair’sLaw"whichprovidesthata
personcommitstheoffenseofunlawfuluseofaweaponif,with
criminalnegligence,theydischargesafirearmwithinorintothe
limitsofanymunicipality. Theseprovisionswillnotapplyifthe
firearmisdischargedunderthecircumstanceslistedinthebill.
AnysuchpersonshallbeguiltyofaclassAmisdemeanorforthe
firstoffense,aclassEfelonyforasecondoffense,andaclassD
felonyforathirdorsubsequentoffense.
ThisbillissimilartoHB722andHB944(2021).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillhastwopartstoit.
First,farmersandranchersneedtohavetheabilitytoprotect
theirlivestockfrompredatoryanimalswithoutthefearofbeing
chargedwithafelonyoffense. Thisbillwouldallowthemtodo
justthat.Inaddition,ownersoffirearmsneedtoactresponsibly
withtheweapons.Celebratorygunfirecaninjureorkillinnocent
people.Thisbillestablishconsequencesforcelebratorygunfire.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Reedy;andMichele
ShanahanDemoss.
Additionalwrittentestimonywassubmittedinsupportofthebill.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythatthisbillmay
conflictwiththeMissouriWildlifeCodeasitpertainstoshooting
predatoryanimals. TestifyingonthebillwasJacobBuxton,MissouriDepartmentOf
Conservation.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.