The Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA) in Missouri has been ruled unconstitutional by U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes in Jefferson City, Missouri, in a landmark decision for the U.S. Justice Department. The state law, signed by Governor Mike Parson in 2021, declared several federal gun laws “invalid” and conflicted with the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.
The court ruled that the law, which was designed to protect the rights of individuals to keep and bear arms under the Second Amendment, actually exposed Missourians to greater harm by interfering with the federal government’s ability to enforce lawfully enacted firearms regulations. The court noted that the law’s “counterintuitive” practical effects could have caused state and local law enforcement agencies to stop voluntarily assisting with enforcing federal gun laws.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the ruling “gratifying,” saying it will “allow federal, state and local law enforcement in Missouri to work together to keep their communities safe from gun violence.”
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, promised an appeal, saying he was committed to “defending Missourians’ fundamental right to bear arms.” He said that if the state legislature wants to expand upon Second Amendment protections, they have the authority to do so.
The decision is seen as a major victory for the Biden Administration, which has made gun control a top priority. It is also a reminder of the power of the federal government in matters of public safety. The ruling is expected to set the stage for similar cases in other states, as the battle over gun control continues to play out in the courts.
