Holden vetoes House concealed gun measure

Associated Press WriterWEBSTER GROVES, Mo. (AP) -- Gov. Bob Holden vetoed a concealed weapons bill Thursday, but the sponsor of the legislation remained confident it will become law.

Holden signed the veto in suburban St. Louis -- an area of the state that played a big role in defeating 1999's Proposition B, a ballot measure that would have allowed Missourians to carry concealed guns. Seventy-eight percent of the voters in this community voted against it.

"You and I clearly agree putting more guns in people's hands does not reduce crime," Holden said over catcalls from about one dozen pro-gun protesters. At one point they chanted, "One-term Bob!" while the governor spoke.

Holden said he had several concerns about the bill, such as inadequate training requirements; no provision for a gun safety refresher course; and lack of an adequate database to make sure the mentally ill can't get weapons. He also said that under the proposal people convicted of misdemeanor domestic abuse would be allowed to carry weapons.

Both the House and Senate supported a bill that would allow people 23 and older who have taken handgun training courses to apply to their county sheriffs for concealed gun permits. The bill also allows anyone 21 or older to conceal guns in the passenger compartment of a vehicle without a permit.

The veto comes just two days after Jonathon Russell walked into the Jefferson City plant where he worked and began shooting, killing three people and wounding five others. He later killed himself.

"He went into a workplace where even the security guard wasn't armed," said Rep. Larry Crawford, R-California, sponsor of the House version of the concealed weapons bill. "He knew that law-abiding citizens there couldn't be armed, and that gave him the upper hand."

Crawford said rallies in several towns in support of the concealed weapons bill, scheduled for Thursday, were canceled out of respect for the victims of the Jefferson City shooting and their families.

Lawmakers will consider overriding the veto in September. Crawford was confident there are plenty of votes to override in the House. And although it will be close in the Senate, he felt the override would pass there, too.

"We think that hangs on one lawmaker who could switch his vote," Crawford said. "We think we have that vote." Crawford would not identify the potential swing voter.

Supporters say the 2003 version of the concealed weapons bill is substantially different than the 1999 ballot proposal, which lost by a 52-48 percent vote, largely because opponents in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas outnumbered supporters outstate. The new version includes additional safeguards such as fingerprinting for criminal background checks.

Crawford said people feel differently now. He noted that three more states -- Minnesota, New Mexico and Colorado -- adopted concealed weapons laws this year.

National Rifle Association spokeswoman Kelly Hobbs said 35 states already have measures similar to the one proposed here, and others allow concealed weapons in some circumstances.

Crawford said the law would make Missouri a safer place and give criminals something to think about.

"Right now, Missourians are forced to leave their homes unprotected, and criminals know that," Crawford said.

Opponents said the law would lead to more bloodshed, not less.

"What we've seen from other places is that it is more likely that someone will be injured either in anger or by accidental discharge by having more small weapons available than the unlikely event that crime will be deterred," said Vicky Riback Wilson, D-Columbia.

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Concealed guns bill is HB349.

On the Net:

Missouri Legislature: http://www.moga.state.mo.us