A new law that would allow Missouri to disregard federal gun laws, in essence making it a sanctuary state for gun violence, is facing a lawsuit from one of its most populate cities and counties.
The new law would prevent local law enforcement from following federal gun laws, as stated in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is filed in Cole County Circuit Court and asks the court to find the new law unconstitutional, as stated in a press release from the St. Louis government.
"Missouri has some of the weakest gun regulations in the country and one of the highest rates of gun violence deaths per capita. But the state legislature passed HB 85 in an effort to prevent enforcement of federal gun laws in Missouri. The new law has already disrupted law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels," the press release from St. Louis Missouri states.
The press secretary for Missouri State Attorney General Eric Schmitt said that they will push forward against the lawsuit to defend Second Amendment rights.
"At the same time they’re attempting to defund the police, progressive politicians have filed this partisan lawsuit in an attempt to infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law abiding Missourians. We will continue our efforts to prosecute violent crime, and we will not shy away from defending the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens," said Chris Nuelle, press secretary for Missouri State Attorney General Eric Schmitt, in a statement to the St. Louis Record.
St. Louis city and St. Louis county jointly argue that HB 85 violates the U.S. Constitution Supremacy Clause, which provides that federal law preempts state law, and also is in contravention of other Missouri law, as stated in the press release.
"This new law is like the state holding out a sign that says ‘Come commit gun violence here,'" said St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page in a statement. "We can’t expect people to stay in St. Louis or to move their businesses here if we don’t do everything we can to reduce gun violence in the region, but this new law sends the opposite message to our residents and business community."
The lawsuit seeks an injunction of unconstitutional provisions and for the law to be overturned, according to the press release.