Enforcing new federal gun regulations could send Missouri officers to prison under a bill endorsed by a Missouri House committee.
The committee voted 9-5 on Tuesday to advance the bill that would criminalize the enforcement of federal gun control laws enacted after Jan. 1 of this year. The vote was along party lines with Republicans supporting the bill and Democrats in opposition.
The panel also advanced a bill barring federal regulation of guns that are manufactured in Missouri and remain inside the state's borders.
During his State of the Union address last night, President Barack Obama emphasized the need for more background checks for gun buyers, saying that that the majority of Americans favor the proposal as a way to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals.