Bill > HJR51

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment relating to firearms in Missouri, to be submitted to voters in the 2026 general election. The proposed amendment would replace the existing Section 23 of Article I, which currently provides an unqualified right to keep and bear arms, with a new provision that allows counties, St. Louis, and Kansas City to regulate firearms possession, carrying, and transfer within their jurisdictions. The new amendment would permit local governments to create ordinances establishing permit systems with fees up to the cost of processing, background checks, and permit validity for up to five years. These local ordinances could apply to residents and non-residents, must recognize permits from a person's county of residence, and include exemptions for law enforcement officers, judges, and certain security and government employees. The ordinances could impose penalties not exceeding a $1,000 fine or one year in county jail, and would allow law enforcement to seize firearms from individuals legally ineligible to possess them. This proposed amendment seeks to balance local regulatory authority with Second Amendment protections, subject to federal law and Supreme Court decisions.