Guns and domestic violence are a deadly mix. Access to a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it 5 times more likely that a woman will be killed. For countless families across the state, the presence of a gun in a household can mean the difference between life and death.
Tell lawmakers to protect Missouri families and support HB 960, a bill which would keep guns away from domestic abusers.
As your constituent, I'm calling on you to support HB 960, a bill which would protect Missouri families from gun violence. HB 960 would prohibit domestic abusers from having guns.
Federal law currently prohibits people convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence and those subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. Many states have identical state laws, but Missouri does not. States like Kansas, Alabama, and Louisiana have taken action in recent years to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, and it's time for Missouri to do the same.
Research shows states that restrict access to guns by abusers subject to domestic violence restraining orders have seen a 13 percent reduction in intimate partner firearm homicides rates and a 10 percent reduction in intimate partner homicides rates. Over 2 out of 5 women in Missouri reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Between 2013 and 2017, at least 183 people were killed by intimate partners in Missouri and nearly two-thirds of them were shot and killed. HB 960 would protect these women and their families from fatal domestic violence encounters.
I hope you'll prioritize the safety of women and their families and vote YES on HB 960.