HCSHBs434&459--ANTI-REDFLAGGUNSEIZUREACT
SPONSOR: Hardwick
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonGeneralLawsbyavoteof9to4.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstitutefor
HBs434&459.
Thisbillestablishesthe"Anti-RedFlagGunSeizureAct".
Forpurposesofthebill,"redflaglaw"isdefinedasanygun
controllaw,order,ormeasurethatdirectstheseizureofany
firearm,accessory,orammunitionofanindividual,exceptpersons
lawfullyincustodyorpersonswhohavebeenreleasedafterthe
executionofabailbondafterhavingbeenchargedwithadangerous
felony,oranyFederalorStaterule,statute,orjudicialorder
thatprohibitsaMissouricitizenfromowningorreceivingany
firearm,accessory,orammunitionoranyorderofremovalforthe
surrenderofanyfirearm,accessory,orammunitionofan
individual,exceptpersonslawfullyincustodyorpersonswhohave
beenreleasedaftertheexecutionofabailbondafterhavingbeen
chargedwithadangerousfelony.
Anyredflaglawthatdirectstheconfiscationofanyfirearm,
accessory,orammunitionfromanylaw-abidingcitizen,withinthe
bordersofMissouri,willbeconsideredaninfringementonthe
people'srighttokeepandbeararmsasguaranteedbytheStateand
FederalconstitutionsandcannotbeenforcedwithinMissouri.
NoStateagency,politicalsubdivision,orStateorlocallaw
enforcementagencycanreceiveanyFederalfundsforthepurposeof
enforcinganyFederallaw,order,orjudicialfindingforthe
purposeofenforcinganyStatestatute,rule,order,orjudicial
findingthatwouldhavetheeffectofenforcingaredflaglaw
againstaMissouricitizen.
Noentityorperson,includingaStateentityoremployeethereof,
orpoliticalsubdivisionoremployeethereof,willhavethe
authoritytoenforceorattempttoenforcearedflaglaw
regardlessoftheredflaglaw'soriginortheauthorityofthe
issuingentity,exceptthatthisprohibitionwillnotapplytoany
agentoftheFederalgovernmentenforcingaFederallaworFederal
order.
ApoliticalsubdivisionorStateorlocallawenforcementagency
thatemploysalawenforcementofficerthatknowinglyviolatesthe
provisionsofthisbillwillbeliabletothepartyagainstwhom theredflaglawwasenforcedandadditionallywillbesubjecttoa
civilpenaltyof$50,000peroccurrence. TheAttorneyGeneralwill
alsohavestandingtobringanactiontoenforcetheprovisionsof
thissection.
Inanyactionbroughtundertheprovisionsofthisbill,acourt
canorderinjunctiveorotherequitablerelief,recoveryof
damages,otherlegalremedies,andpaymentofreasonableattorney's
fees,costs,andexpensesoftheparty.Suchreliefwillnotbe
exclusiveandadditionalrelieforremediescanbeawardedas
otherwisepermittedbylaw.
Thisbillcontainsanemergencyclause.
ThisbillisthesameasHB2656(2024).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthegovernmentshouldn'tbeable
topunishcitizenswhohavethepropensitytocommitacriminalact
beforetheyhaveactualcommittedacrime.Supportersfurthersay
thatthereisalreadytoomuchgovernmentaloverreachintothearea
ofguns,especiallysinceourowngovernmenthashistorically
misusedlawstorestrictgunownershiptocertaingroupsofpeople
fornefariouspurposes.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Hardwick;
MarcosZelada-Rodas;ArnieDienoff;SusanMyers;CarlSmart;and
MissouriFirearmsCoalition.
OPPONENTS: ThosewhoopposethebillsaythatMissourihasthe
fourthhighestrateofgunviolence,andthatthisbillwillnot
reducethatlevelofviolence. Opponentsfurthersaythatredflag
lawsarecriticalanti-violencemeasuresthathelptoprotect
citizens,especiallywhensuchlawsassistofficialstotemporarily
removegunsfrompeoplewhomightbedangerous.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereTheCityofSt.Louis;
andKristinBowen,MomsDemandActionForGunSenseInAmerica.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.