The majority Republican Missouri legislature handed yet another victory to pro-children activists yesterday, and a stunning defeat to those who would leave school children vulnerable to murderous psychopaths, when it overwhelmingly overrode the Democrat Governor’s veto of legislation allowing teachers to be armed in schools, as reported by the NRA and other news sources.

SB656 was passed and delivered to the Governor in May 2014, who vetoed the bill on July 14. Yesterday the Missouri Senate voted to override the veto by a vote of 23 to 8, and the House by a vote of 117 to 39. Supporters of the override came from both Democrats and Republicans.

A full copy of the bill is embedded at the bottom of this post.

SB656 allows the school district to designate teachers or administrators to receive extensive training as school protection officers as well as to carry a gun on school property.

The law also included other pro-self-defense provisions, including allowing open carry anywhere in the state for people possessing a concealed carry license. This is very useful even for those license holders who never intend to openly carry, because it protects them from the risk of a brandishing charge in the even they unintentionally reveal their concealed handgun to casual observation.

The law also lowered from 21 to 19 the age at which a person can obtain a concealed carry license, as well as other favorable provisions.

SB656 will take effect no later than October 23.

[NOTE: The “featured image” is of the Arkansas Christian Academy, which elected to arm its teachers and post signs to that effect, as reported by www.newson6.com.]

–-Andrew, @LawSelfDefense

Andrew F. Branca is an MA lawyer and the author of the seminal book “The Law of Self Defense, 2nd Edition,” available at the Law of Self Defense blog (autographed copies available) and Amazon.com (paperback and Kindle). He holds many state-specific Law of Self Defense Seminars around the country, and produces free online self-defense law educational video- and podcasts at the Law of Self Defense University.



