ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Board of Aldermen Committee will consider three different bills Thursday focusing on guns in the city of St. Louis.
The Public Safety Committee is set to meet at 2:00 p.m. at City Hall to debate the bills. One of them focuses on stopping celebratory gunfire in the city on occasions like New Year’s Eve. The Board of Aldermen bill would create what’s commonly known as ‘Blairs Law’ in the city of St. Louis.
11-year-old Blair Lane was killed back on July 4 of 2011 in Independence, Missouri, when a bullet fired into the air struck her in the neck and killed her. State lawmakers passed legislation prohibiting celebratory gunfire as part of a larger crime bill during the last legislative session. However, Governor Mike Parson vetoed the bill because of a separate provision in it.
The Board of Aldermen bill would create the offense of unlawful discharge of a firearm if people fire guns for things like celebratory gunfire. The committee is also slated to look at two other gun bills on Thursday.
One would create an offense in the city of “unlawful possession of firearms” if someone possesses a gun and has been convicted of a felony. The other bill would create the charge of “unlawful transfer of weapons” if someone recklessly provides a gun to a minor under 18 years old without the consent of the juvenile’s parents or guardian.
If the bills pass out of committee, then they will be considered by the full Board of Aldermen.
