Democratic St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones recently unveiled plans for a new piece of legislation aimed at prohibiting AK-47s and AR-15s within the city, as reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Mayor Jones intends to present the bill in the coming days, outlining its provisions, including measures to curb indiscriminate gunfire during holidays and prevent minors from accessing firearms, according to the same source. The announcement swiftly elicited responses from Republican legislators in Missouri, who voiced their concerns, contending that the proposed legislation might contravene both the Missouri Constitution and the Second Amendment.
“She can talk all she wants,” Republican state Rep. Jim Murphy said, according to the Post-Dispatch. “She has no right to do it.”
Attorney General George Bailey argued in a letter posted on social media that the mayor should focus on enforcing current St. Louis laws instead of proposing new legislation that may not work, the Post-Dispatch reported.
“It is my hope that you will reverse course and use existing law to combat the crime plaguing your city, rather than choosing to target the rights of law-abiding Missourians,” Bailey said, according to a press release published by his office. “In other words, I encourage you to go after criminals, not guns.”
But Jones argued in her announcement that the new legislation would reduce gun violence in the city.
“Gun violence is a public health crisis that impacts families and communities in every neighborhood across our city,” Jones said, according to Fox2Now. “We’re coming together around a shared vision: A safer, stronger St. Louis that is ready to stand up for our values.”
Although several mass shooters have used AR-15s and AK-47s to commit their crimes, most street shootings do not involve these larger guns, according to the Post-Dispatch. Ninety percent of guns confiscated in 2022 by St. Louis police officers were pistols, potentially limiting the impact of Jones’ proposed legislation.
This announcement follows Jones’ signing of another gun law on Aug. 3 that prohibits open carry without a concealed carry permit, according to a press release from the Mayor’s Office.
The Mayor’s Office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
