O'Fallon City Council Hears First Reading of Gun Rights Bill

Last week, the O'Fallon City Council heard the first reading of a bill supporting the U.S. Constitution's 2nd Amendment, the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

According to the bill, laws infringing on gun ownership would be invalid in the City of O'Fallon.

The bill, sponsored by Councilmen Jim Pepper and Alderman John Haman, says the "Governing Body of the City of O’Fallon swore an oath to support the Constitution of the United States," and that:

The Governing Body of the City of O’Fallon within the state of Missouri declares that all federal, state, or local acts, laws, orders, rules, regulations, or executive orders – past, present, or future – prohibiting the keeping and bearing of arms, arms accessories, or ammunition are a violation of Amendment 2 of the Constitution of the United States along with Article 1 of the Missouri Constitution -Bill of Rights - Section 23 and violate the true meaning and intent of both as given by the Founders and Ratifiers and are hereby declared to be invalid within the City of O’Fallon and all of its boundaries, shall not be recognized by this City or within all of its boundaries, are specifically rejected and shall be considered null and void and of no effect in the City of O’Fallon within all of its boundaries . . .

The bill echoes legislation proposed  in the Missouri House of Representatives by Rep. Casey Guernsey (R-Bethany). Guernsey's Firearms Protection Act is similar to a another gun rights bill proposed in Wyoming.

O'Fallon's bill will be up for a second reading at the next meeting, which is scheduled for March 28. City staff say that they expect some of the wording to change before a final vote is taken.