MO: Constituitonal Amendment to Strengthen Right to Arms on November Ballot

The Missouri Legislature has followed Oklahoma in placing an amendment to strengthen the right to keep and bear arms on the ballot for this November, 2014.  The wording on the ballot will read:

Shall the Missouri Constitution  be amended to include a declaration that the right to keep and bear arms is an unalienable right and that the state government is obligated to uphold that right?

The current amendment reads as follows:

 Section 23. That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned; but this shall not justify the wearing of concealed weapons.

The proposed amendment is below:

Section 23. That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms, ammunition, and accessories typical to the normal function of such arms, in defense of his home, person, family and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned [;but this shall not justify the wearing of concealed weapons]. The rights guaranteed by this section shall be unalienable. Any restriction on these rights shall be subject to strict scrutiny and the state of Missouri shall be obligated to uphold these rights and shall under no circumstances decline to protect against their infringement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the general assembly from enacting general laws which limit the rights of convicted violent felons or those duly adjudged mentally infirm by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The Missouri language seems a bit clearer than that of the proposed Oklahoma amendment, though both are following the lead of Kansas and  Louisiana.    It is clear that the legislators are listening to grassroots support of these efforts.   The Louisiana measure passed with 74% of the vote; the Kansas amendment passed with 88% .

I predict that the Missouri amendment will pass with 85% of the vote.

These amendments are so popular that the voters may consider them a "commonsense compromise" and a "good first step in the right direction".  It may also be "for the children" and might "save a life".

We will find out in November.   

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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