House Committee kills proposal to ban minors from possessing firearms

Language has been removed from a wide-ranging anti-crime bill that would have banned minors in Missouri from possessing firearms. 

It would have applied to anyone under 18 not accompanied by someone at least 21 years old. 

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Lane Roberts of Joplin, supported the ban, telling a House committee Thursday that minors don’t have the “life experience” necessary to responsibly carry a handgun around – a sentiment echoed by several Democrats at the meeting. 

But the G-O-P majority stripped out the age restriction before passing the bill out of committee. 

There are 3 stand-alone bills, one in the House and 2 in the Senate, that would ban minors from carrying guns, but they’re not expected to move forward.