JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Those who have concealed carry convictions will soon be able to have those expunged from their record under legislation passed by the Missouri General Assembly.
“This bill is about second chances,” said Rep. Gail McCann Beatty, the bill handler in the House.
Sen. Kiki Curls’ SB 954 allows individuals found guilty of certain offenses of unlawful use of a weapon to expunge records relating to such offense. The aim of the bill is not to punish folks for something that if they did it today would not be illegal. It would not include offenses that happened alongside violent offenses.
Missouri changed the law a few years back relating to firearms making it legal to carry a concealed weapon without a concealed carry permit to do so.
“It just doesn’t make any sense for us to penalize folks for something that is no longer an offense,” said Beatty.
The bill passed unanimously with a 143-0 vote and awaits the governor’s signature.
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.
