FROM: Ron Calzone

Representative Bill Hardwick filed HB 1175 to “fix” the complaints the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals had with the original Second Amendment Preservation Act.

House leadership agreed to put his bill on a fast track and ensure that it remains a clean bill.  The hearing is tomorrow, Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 8:00 a.m.

Please fill out a witness form RIGHT NOW on the House official website. Your testimony will become part of the official record.

Witness form link: https://witness.house.mo.gov/Default.aspx?bill=HB1175¬iceid=10274

When you fill out the witness form, be sure to:

1) Type your name in the signature box at the bottom of the form,
2) AND THEN enter the verification code. 
3) THEN Click the Verify button,
4) THEN click the Submit button once it turns green.

You should get a “Please Verify Your E-mail Address” email that you MUST reply to for your testimony to be accepted.


BACKGROUND

The Second Amendment Preservation Act was passed by the Missouri General Assembly and signed by Governor Parson in 2021.

Because it actually has teeth and actually protects our right to defend ourselves, and because it was a model for other states to follow, it was the ONLY such state law the federal (Biden) Department of Justice challenged.

The fact is, the 8th Circuit Court couldn’t find anything wrong with the functional part of SAPA – the part that merely used the same anti-commandeering doctrine that the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly said was clearly within the powers of each state of the union. 

In essence, the only thing they complained about was a non-functional part of the bill that explained WHY the Missouri General Assembly thought it was appropriate to take this action.

In effect, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals provided a road map to fix Missouri SAPA and for other states to enact their own SAPAs.

HB 1175 removes the non-functional parts of SAPA without diminishing its effective, functional parts.

We need to make sure HB 1175 remains on a fast track.  SB 23 is the companion bill in the Senate, and it is also moving, so it’s looking good.

One more request:  Please contact your Missouri state rep and ask him or her to cosponsor HB 1175.

Keep an eye on the SAPA Resource Page for updates.

In liberty,
– Ron
 —

And now that the legislators and do-gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun: May they reject all systems, and try liberty; for liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works. —  Frédéric Bastiat – “The Law”

Ron Calzone
ron@mofirst.org
http://www.mofirst.org