Legislator: Make It Illegal to Propose Gun Legislation

Should proposing a law be against the law? One St. Louis County lawmaker thinks so. 

Rep. Mike Leara, R-St. Louis County, proposed House Bill 633 Monday that would make it illegal to to propose legislation.

Leara's District 95 covers Crestwood, Sunset Hills and Fenton in South St. Louis County.

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According to PoliticMo, Leara's legislation would make it a felony for lawmakers to merely file legislation that would at all restrict gun rights.

Leara told PoliticMo that the bill was only to spark debate about gun rights, and believes it has no chance in the general assembly.

“I have no illusions about the bill making it through the legislative process, but I want it to be clear that the Missouri House will stand in defense of the people’s constitutional right to keep and bear arms,” Leara said. 

Lawmaker Democrat Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, who represents the City of Hazelwood along with Rep. Rory Ellinger, have proposed gun legislation this year.

Sen. Chappelle-Nadal's if there is a gun in the home.  

"The legislation intends to encourage parents and legal guardians to become informed on the possession and use of weapons by their children," she said. "Those who have a child under the age of 18 would potentially be held responsible for crimes committed if they are aware of the possession of firearms by their hcildren and if they fail to stop the possession or report it to law enforcement, a violation of the law."

Read Chappelle-Nadal's Patch blog on the subject here.

In a separate action against any gun legislation Tuesday, Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield, posted a video to YouTube that shows a man firing a handgun repeatedly at a copy of House Bill 545, which prohibits the possession of assault weapons.

HB 545 was introduced by Rep. Ellinger. It bans the sale of assault weapons and requires owners to turn in such guns. Most of the video shows Burlison interviewing patrons of a shooting range on what they think about the bill. 

Read more on the issue:

• Political Rewind: Voter ID Bill Sparks Bitter Debate: History Museum Pot Still Boils
• Tougher Gun Control Laws: Are They Inevitable Now?

What do you think of Rep. Leara's bill? Should we criminalize lawmakers for proposing laws?