KC mayor reacts after federal judge strikes down Missouri gun law

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Missouri attorney general plans to fight back after a federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Missouri law banning local police from enforcing federal gun laws is unconstitutional.

“It’s a good day for everyone across the political spectrum, to say that common sense has finally prevailed in Missouri,” said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Mayor Lucas did not hold back his appreciation for the federal judge who struck down the Second Amendment Preservation Act.

“I don’t know a Missourian out there-- If you explain what this law is. If you say, ‘Hey, let me walk up to a police officer in Kansas City and take away your ability to work with those in the ATF, FBI or the DEA to keep drugs off our streets, to keep guns off our streets.’ I don’t think there’s a person that says, ‘That’s a great idea!’ and I know there’s not an officer that says, ‘That’s a great idea!’” said Mayor Lucas.

Back in 2021, Missouri Governor Mike Parson visited Frontier Justice in Lee’s Summit to sign the bill into law. It threatened to fine officers $50,000 if they knowingly enforced federal gun laws.

We reached out to several law enforcement agencies Tuesday about the ruling. Many said it’s too early to comment but that this will impact their operations.

The KCPD said, in part: “We are ready to make any adjustments to conform to the laws as passed, much the same as we did upon the initial passing of the law. We will stay alert to any additional information that comes out or any additional appeals of the decision.”

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is already planning to appeal the ruling. Part of a tweet he sent said: “I will protect the Constitution, which includes defending Missourians’ fundamental right to bear arms. We are prepared to defend this statute to the highest court, and we anticipate a better result at the Eighth Circuit.”

Which, Mayor Lucas doesn’t believe will change anything.

“What we are actually seeing today is common sense gun regulation that takes guns out of hands of domestic violence abusers, to take guns out of the hands of felons, to take guns out of the hands of minors who don’t have parental consent to have them,” said Mayor Lucas. “Those are things most people thought was just the law. That’s what the Second Amendment Preservation Act and a radical irresponsible state legislature was forcing upon the people of Missouri.”

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