Area lawmakers OK concealed carry on buses, in churches

Despite a plea from a transportation company based in Southeast Missouri, the state House voted Wednesday 101-40 to allow concealed-carry weapons (CCW) on public transit buses.

Rep. Jamie Burger, District 148, Benton

GOP state lawmakers Jamie Burger of Benton (R-148), Barry Hovis of Whitewater (R-146) and Rick Francis of Perryville (R-145) joined the majority in voting in the affirmative.

Cape Girardeau city has not had a representative in the General Assembly since late December following the resignation of Wayne Wallingford in District 147.

Rep. Rick Francis, District 145, Perryville

Francis explained to the Southeast Missourian his "yes" vote.

"I supported House Bill 1462 because it allows law-abiding CCW holders to carry aboard public transportation in Missouri," he said.

Rep. Barry Hovis, District 146, Whitewater

Similar sentiments were expressed by Burger and Hovis.

Denny Ward, executive director of Southeast Missouri Transportation Service (SMTS), in an editorial in the online Missouri Times, asked lawmakers not to authorize CCW.

Denny Ward, executive director, Southeast Missouri Transportation Service, has urged state lawmakers not to approve concealed carry on public buses.

"The risk involved is unthinkable, considering an accidental discharge or even a planned event could take place in the closed environment," said Ward, noting SMTS' buses offer door-to-door bus service in 21 Southeast Missouri counties.

"Further complicating the issue is the profound negative financial influence the passage of these types of bills would have on SMTS and other transit providers in the state," he added.

Ward said in his op-ed piece allowing CCW on his agency's vehicles will directly violate current covenants in most of SMTS' local contracts.

"We would lose those contracts and associated funding, translating into a significant loss of local dollars used to draw down much-needed federal funds and would impede our ability to bind adequate insurance coverage at an affordable rate," he said.

Ward said bus drivers are already difficult to find and CCW legislation would make things worse.

"(The bill) increases the difficulty of hiring and retaining qualified drivers," he added.

Reached by telephone on their way home from Jefferson City on Thursday, Hovis and Burger were sympathetic but ultimately unmoved.

"I totally appreciate and respect (Ward's) thoughts and we did discuss these matters. On the other side, most people with CCW's are citizens who've never violated the law and they might even be able to take action against someone on a bus with nefarious intent," Hovis said.

"I feel there is an element of society already carrying illegal guns on public transportation and CCW holders as law-abiding citizens can combat some of that," Burger added.

The omnibus legislation, introduced by Rep. Adam Schnelting of St. Charles (R-104), also allows concealed firearms with a permit inside churches so long as the worshiping community does not object.

Other provisions

• Indiscriminate firing of a weapon into the air, so-called "celebratory bullets," are banned in the legislation. The provision recalls the July 4, 2011, death of 11-year-old Blair Lane from the Kansas City, Missouri, area, who was struck in the neck and killed by falling ammunition.
• Lowering the age from 19 to 18 for making application for a CCW permit is also in Schnelting's bill.

"I think the feeling was if you can be drafted into the military and be sent to a war zone, you ought to be able to apply for concealed carry," Hovis observed.

The legislation has been sent to the 34-person state Senate for consideration.