Gun Control

As Missouri Republicans push a new version of the Second Amendment Preservation Act through the legislature, law enforcement officials in the state say lawmakers and supporters of the bill are ignoring their concerns.

One of the measures, Senate Bill 74, would bar cities and counties from imposing their own open carry firearm restrictions.

The case, on its second day on Tuesday, is being heard in federal district court in East St. Louis.

The first witness called by those challenging the ban was a downstate gun dealer who testified AR-15-style guns are used for self-defense.

A federal judge in Rockford ruled a state law banning concealed carry on public transit is unconstitutional for four plaintiffs. Both sides are considering their next steps.

The law, passed in 2021, penalizes police for enforcing certain federal gun laws.

Advocates on both sides of the gun control debate are waiting on whether the court will hear a broader constitutional challenge to Illinois' 2023 assault weapons ban, which includes the state-level ban on bump stocks.

A new Illinois law states constitutional challenges to state laws and actions can only be filed in Cook or Sangamon counties.

While both Republican candidates voting records align with National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America, they differ on an issue going before the U.S. Supreme Court this week.

While Republicans shelved two bills that would further loosen Missouri's gun laws, Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, said she will introduce a proposed constitutional amendment allowing cities to write local gun laws that are stricter than state laws.