St. Louis board passes unique bill to find out when people fail gun background checks
St. Louis aldermen on Friday passed a bill requiring licensed gun dealers to tell police if someone trying to purchase a gun fails a federal background check.
“This is a historic moment for St. Louis and our country. Cities all across America are having to step up and enact their own gun laws because the states are failing us. I am proud of the City of St. Louis for taking this important step to end gun violence,” said Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed on Twitter.
St. Louis is the first city to pass the law, city officials told KSDK5. Reed in September introduced the initiative, which is supported by organizations such as Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand.
Per Everytown, 100 Americans are killed with guns and hundreds more are shot and injured everyday -- something Reed wants to curb.
“It’s hard to watch the news or read the paper without hearing or reading about another incident involving a firearm,” Reed told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch in September. “We have to do something to reduce the chance of a weapon ending up in the wrong hands.”
The bill now will go to Mayor Lyda Krewson for her signature.
This story was originally published November 1, 2019 at 9:07 PM.