JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri Republicans' push to preserve a sales tax deduction for people sell multiple cars, trucks or other vehicles got going in earnest Tuesday while Democrats continued to pillory the effort from the sidelines.

Just as Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, asked in his special session call, a House committee voted 6-4 to advance a bill reversing a state Supreme Court decision that barred people from using the trade-in value for multiple vehicles to reduce sales tax owed on a new one.

Supporters of the bill say the decision overturned more than a decade of practice, during which it was assumed that a 2006 policy with no limits governed their trade-ins.

Before the vote, the move won applause from state tax collectors and advocates for car, boat and RV dealers.

Acting Department of Revenue Director Ken Zellers, whose agency created the issue by arguing state law mandates a one trade-in limit, told lawmakers he welcomed the intervention.

“We are in full support of (the bill) and look forward to the clarity it will provide,” he said.

Doug Smith, the president of the Missouri Automobile Dealers Association, made a similar point, saying the bill would alleviate confusion and costs for thousands of vehicle buyers.

“To take that away would hurt consumers and make them reconsider their purchases at this point,” Smith said.

He argued that many farmers and small businesses would take a hit without a change, offering as an example an air conditioning repair company that trades in old vans for new ones.

Jeremy Anderson, the general manager of Big Thunder Marine in Lake Ozark, reminded the committee that vehicles eligible for the tax break include boats, motorcycles and recreational vehicles.

Democrats want focus on gun violence

Not everyone was charmed, however.

Rep. Sarah Unsicker, D-Shrewsbury, expressed skepticism about extending the tax deduction for large businesses and filed an amendment saying the bill would only apply to individuals and business with a dozen or fewer employees.

Republicans voted the idea down. Only Rep. Shane Roden, R-Cedar Hill, joined Democrats in advancing the bill after expressing skepticism of the department’s ability to properly collect sales tax on all purchases.

Later in the afternoon, Unsicker and other House Democrats gathered for a press conference to blast the move as a special interest giveaway and repeat calls for Parson to expand the special session to deal with gun violence.

A dozen children have been killed in St. Louis this year, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, prompting the largely Democratic Missouri Legislative Black Caucus to ask Parson last month to call a special session for gun violence.

Parson demurred, telling the Post-Dispatch in a statement that a special session is “not the correct avenue” to address their concerns.

But Democrats made clear still they wanted legislative action.

“If preventing more Missouri children from being murdered isn’t worthy of a special session, then calling one so a few people can dodge paying their full share of taxes can’t be logically or morally defended,” House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, said in prepared remarks.

Democrats also filed more than a dozen bills aimed at addressing gun violence, though Quade conceded they would almost certainly be disregarded by the Republican majority.

Among the bills were a "red flag" measure allowing a court to temporarily confiscate firearms from someone if family members or other close ones say they're a danger to themselves or others and a ban on selling assault weapons to anyone younger than 21.

The full House is expected to debate the sales tax bill Wednesday.