1999 Missouri Proposition B

none September 2023 Proposition B April 6, 1999 Missouri Concealed Carry Proposition 634,361 678,256 File:1999 Missouri Proposition B election.svg County results Yes #B6C8D9 50–60% 1px #AAAAAA solid #7D9CBB 60–70% 1px #AAAAAA solid #47729E 70–80% 1px #AAAAAA solid #28497C 80–90% 1px #AAAAAA solid No #DEDEBD 50–60% 1px #AAAAAA solid #BCBC83 60–70% 1px #AAAAAA solid #8B8B54 70–80% 1px #AAAAAA solid Proposition B in Missouri was a failed 1999 ballot measure that would have required local police authorities to issue concealed weapons permits to eligible citizens. It was a contentious issue and was narrowly rejected at the time by the electorate, but the legislature later approved similar legislation in 2003.December 2020 Supporters Support for concealed carry laws in Missouri grew gradually throughout the 1990s. In 1991, a group to promote such laws called "the conference" was formed and that nickname was used until the Missouri Legislative Issues Council (MOLIC) was formed in 1995 for official recognition. Support for these laws increased in part as a response to the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and other national gun control efforts. After author/columnist John Ross made his attempts to convince Missouri legislators, other supporters also emerged. The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) formed Missourians Against Crime (MAC) in 1998 as their spokesman into Missouri. This created an issue with the MOLIC membership. Negative campaigns seldom succeed in Missouri. The MOLIC organization was transformed into Missourians for Personal Safety(MPS) for the 1998 Proposition B campaign with Steve McGhee as the President. These combined efforts brought notoriety to Greg Jeffery, attorney/author Kevin Jamison, and Tim Oliver, to the forefront of their local/regional news media. As the Missouri Sport Shooting Association (MSSA), joined (unofficially) in support, they all proceeded with their regional campaigning attempts. Eventually, more and more individuals heard of these volunteers/members and took up the task to support the proposition with smaller meetings and neighborhood 'grass roots' action groups. Police Officers generally supported the measure: "In a recent poll, more than eighty-five percent of our 1352 members favored Right-to-Carry.", Letter to St. Louis Police Chief Ron Henderson, from Sgt. John J. Johnson, President St. Louis Police Officers Association, 1/23/99."http://www.moccw.org/leforccw.html Right To Carry: The Law Enforcement Perspective MPS/MOCCW 2006-09-10 The Gateway Civil Liberties Alliance (GCLA) arose after the failure to pass the proposition in 1999; forming itself from MOLIC, MPS, and with WMSA giving support, to become the leadership and legislative clearing house for the 2003 success in passing a shall-issue law. Frequent trips to Jefferson City by Greg Jeffery (GCLA cofounder) earned him the nickname 'braintrust' to a newly created law that was adopted by Missouri in 2003.http://www.wmsa.net/Rally2003/jamison_update.htm Kevin Jamison 2003-09-17 License to carry update 2006-09-10 Western Missouri Shooters Alliance dead https://web.archive.org/web/20051109013453/http://www.wmsa.net/Rally2003/jamison_update.htm 2005-11-09 Opponents Handgun Control, Inc., saw this as their test case before the elections in 2000 to exercise their political influence1983 The Center to Prevent Handgun Violence (CPHV), an educational outreach organization dedicated to reducing gun violence, is founded as a sister organization to HCI. (source: HCI) and lobbied hard to defeat the referendum.http://www.moccw.org/opponents.html MPS/MOCCW Anti Self-Defense Businesses in Missouri 2006-09-22 Political notables included the Clinton/Gore Administration"Clinton's Administration is easily the most reckless in interfering with the integrity of Federal investigative agencies since that of Richard Nixon." -- NY Times editorial, "White House Ethics Meltdown", 3/4/94 with Attorney General Janet Reno playing a secondary role to Hillary Clinton's activism, Governor Mel Carnahan and his daughter Robin Carnahan, the 1994 appointedhttp://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/Facts/StbySt/MO.html Facts on women candidates and elected officials Center for American Women and Politics 2006-09-10 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20060907070526/http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/Facts/StbySt/MO.html 2006-09-07 Secretary of State, Rebecca Cook,There was debate to which office held more influence between Secretary of State and/or the State Auditor. Most political watchers agreed that the Secretary of State had the authority to change the ballot language used (without review) in 1999. and State Auditor, Claire McCaskill. Robin Carnahan chaired the Safe Schools and Workplaces Committee (SSWC) and orchestrated television ads against the proposition. Also, on the weekend prior to voting day, that organization coordinated the taped phone message from Hillary Clinton to automatically dial 75,000 homes statewide with the message, "just too dangerous for Missouri families."http://www.moccw.org/nrapropb.html MPS/MOCCW NRAFAX Alert - Carnahan defeats Prop. B 2006-09-10 Ballot language The General Assembly approved the following ballot language: Shall state or local law enforcement agencies be authorized to issue permits to law-abiding citizens at least twenty-one years of age to carry concealed firearms outside their home for personal protection after having passed a state and federal criminal background check and having completed a firearms safety training course approved by the Missouri Department of Public Safety? After a lawsuit filed by the opponents of the measure, the language was changed. The final text read: "Shall sheriffs, or in the case of St. Louis County, the chief of police, be required to issue permits to carry concealed firearms to citizens who apply if various statutory requirements are satisfied?" Because of the discretion given to local law enforcement to verify the accuracy of applications, the costs are uncertain. Application fees are estimated to cover most costs for the first three years. Subsequently, local governments, as a whole, may incur costs from $500,000 to $1,000,000 annually, not covered by fees. Missouri Sport Shooting Association President Kevin Jamison described it as, "The opposition conducted a poll of the ballot language which determined that 60% of the state would vote in favor of License to Carry. Outraged that the people might "speak wrong", the Governor's lawyer filed a suit with the Missouri Supreme Court to change the ballot language. The defendants in the suit were Attorney General Jay Nixon and State Auditor Claire McCaskill."THE MISSOURI MIRACLE by K. L. Jamison Campaign controversies The use of official government resources by opponents of the measure was controversial. Missouri's two US Attorneys are using the Justice Department's name and facilities to lobby against the state's concealed weapons ballot issue. Using official department letterhead, the attorneys, Edward Dowd and Stephen Hill, urged sheriffs and police chiefs across the state to rally resistance against Proposition B, which is on the ballot this April. Dowd's office is operating an 800 number which people can call to obtain anti-prop B campaigning materials. Calls to the 800 number, 1-800-214-2690, are answered with "US Attorneys Office."http://www.mdn.org/1999/STORIES/JUSTICE.HTM US Attorneys use federal facilities to lobby against prop B 1999-03-23 Clayton Bellamy 2006-09-13 Missouri Digital News Some advertisements used in the campaign were deceptive, particularly an opposition adhttp://www.mdn.org/1999/STORIES/HANDGUN.HTM Guns over a foot long could be concealed and carried under Prop. B 1999-04-01 Melissa Miller 2006-09-22 Missouri Digital News that implied Missourians would be allowed to carry Uzishttp://www.moccw.org/top5.html MPS/MOCCW Top 5 Misleading Statements MPS/MOCCW 2006-09-14 that continued into 2000.May 4, 2000: HCI releases a new television ad featuring video footage of a senior NRA official boasting that, if George W. Bush is elected President, the NRA will be working out of the White House. (source: HCI) Results Proposition B gained 634,361 votes in favor (48.3%) and 678,256 votes against (51.7%), thus being defeated by a margin of 3.3%.http://www.moccw.org/propbvote.html Table of County Vote Totals MPS/MOCCW 2006-09-13 The majority of voters in rural Missouri voted in favor of Proposition B. However, urban voters, particularly in St. Louis and Kansas City, tipped the balance against Proposition B. 74.1% of the voters in the city of St. Louis, 69.5% in St. Louis County, and 71.6% in Kansas City opposed Proposition B. In 2003, the Missouri General Assembly passed new laws to enable shall-issue permits. Participant roles during 1999 The following persons played important roles in the creation of law in the State of Missouri. This is not their biography but an outline of the positions held during the 1999 Proposition B campaigns. John Ross Pro-2nd Amendment activist. John Ross Author/Columnisthttp://wetinkpro.com/john/site/about.php About John Ross August 18, 2007 September 30, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070930082246/http://wetinkpro.com/john/site/about.php dead Concealed Firearms Instructor 1998 Chairman/Co-founder; Missouri Legislative Issues Council (MOLIC). Co-founder; Missourians for Personal Safety (MPS)MOCCW – Concealed Carry in Missouri Supporter, Missouri Sport Shooting Association (MSSA)Missouri Sport Shooting Association for the State of Missouri Kevin Jamison Pro-2nd Amendment activist. Attorney/AuthorKevin L. Jamison, Attorney At Law | Welcome Co-founder; Missouri Legislative Issues Council (MOLIC) Co-founder; Missourians for Personal Safety (MPS) 2006 President, Missouri Sport Shooting Association (MSSA) Tim Oliver Pro-2nd Amendment activist. Conceal Carry Firearms InstructorTim Oliver's LTC - News & Information Co-founder; Missouri Legislative Issues Council (MOLIC) Co-founder; Missourians for Personal Safety (MPS) Supporter; Missouri Sport Shooting Association (MSSA) Greg Jeffery Pro-2nd Amendment activist. Co-founder; Missouri Legislative Issues Council (MOLIC) Co-founder; Missourians for Personal Safety (MPS) Supporter, Missouri Sport Shooting Association (MSSA) Co-founder The Gateway Civil Liberties Alliance (GCLA)New and Improved! Welcome to G.C.L.A Legislative Consultant to Missouri Lawmakers. Steve McGhee Pro-2nd Amendment activist. NRA Master Training Counselor/InstructorMcGhee Training Services of Missouri https://web.archive.org/web/20061214015052/http://www.mcgheetraining.com/index.html 2006-12-14 1998 President, Missouri Sport Shooting Association (MSSA) 1999 President/Co-founder; Missourians for Personal Safety (MPS) Campaign Funding Pro-2nd Amendment http://www.mdn.org/1999/STORIES/PROP_B1.HTM Legislators try to guess why Prop B failed 1999-04-07 Anna Brutzman 2006-09-22 Missouri Digital News NRA +$3 Million Pro-Gun Control Out of State $399,079 In State $164,000 Carnahan Participation Pro-Gun Control activist.NRAFAX Alert - Carnahan defeats Prop. B. MPS/MOCCW. Retrieved on 2006-09-18. Governor Mel Carnahan pledged neutrality. Robin Carnahan chaired the Safe Schools and Workplaces Committee (SSWC) 1999 Federal Participation Pro-Gun Control activist. US Attorneys: (established 1-800-214-2690)http://www.moccw.org/badnumber.html MPS/MOCCW THE NUMBER YOU HAVE DIALED IS NOT IN SERVICE ... 1999-03-29 2006-09-23 Edward Dowd (Eastern Missouri) Stephen Hill (Western Missouri) 1999 White House Participation Pro-Gun Control & Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act activist. President Clinton signed Federal assault weapons ban in 1993 which expired in 2004. Hillary Clinton gave a taped voice message to condemn Prop B. See also Gun politics in the United States Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Americans for Gun Safety Foundation Tides Center aka Tides Foundation Second Amendment to the United States Constitution References External links http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20041013011112/http://www.csgv.org/news/headlines/ap5_6_99.cfm Coalition to Stop Gun Violence 2004-10-13 about 1999 Results https://web.archive.org/web/20060628235300/http://www.stategunlaws.org/viewstate.php?st=MO Missouri D+ status with HCI 2006-06-28 1999 Proposition B MISSOURI CCW REFERENDUM https://web.archive.org/web/20060513130631/http://www.john-ross.net/race%26rtc.htm A Statistician Explains a Conundrum 2006-05-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20060816051641/http://www.john-ross.net/ccw03.htm The End of a Personal Twelve-Year Odyssey 2006-08-16 https://archive.today/20030621025237/http://archives.thedaily.washington.edu/2000/110800/N9.Carnahan.html Missouri makes history again 2003-06-21 Dead man elected https://web.archive.org/web/20060821174555/http://www.moga.state.mo.us/STATUTES/C571.HTM 2003 Missouri Law 2006-08-21 https://web.archive.org/web/20060913205252/http://www.bradycampaign.org/facts/faqs/?page=ccwfaq CCW FAQ to HCI 2006-09-13 Q&A Missouri information https://web.archive.org/web/20060913212922/http://www.bradycampaign.org/about/index.php?pagename=history Brady Campaign History 2006-09-13 aka HCI History Shall issue Voter Fraud How to steal an election https://web.archive.org/web/20070928060815/http://www.nraila.org/CurrentLegislation/Read.aspx?ID=896 Missouri becomes 36th information 2007-09-28 Handgun Law information Category:1999 Missouri elections Category:1999 ballot measures in the United States Category:1999 in American law Category:1999 controversies in the United States Category:United States firearms law Category:Missouri ballot measures