Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D) vetoed legislation Friday that would have annulled federal gun laws in the state and made it a crime for federal agents to enforce decades-old gun laws or for anyone to publish the names of gun owners, the Springfield News-Leader reported.
Nixon outlined how House Bill 436 would have violated the Constitution and the First Amendment in his veto message and accused the legislature of returning to Civil-War-era nullification.
“By seeking to declare certain federal acts null and void, (House Bill 436) seeks to turn the hierarchy of our national framework of laws on its head in clear violation of Article VI of the U.S. Constitution,” Nixon wrote, as quoted by the News-Leader.
“There is no shortage of unacceptable scenarios that could result from this provision,” he added. “As one example, newspapers around the state annually publish photos of proud young Missourians who harvest their first turkey or deer. Under this bill, doing so would be a crime.”
Nixon did give his seal of approval Friday to a bill that allows state employees to keep firearms in their vehicles on state property and gives fire chiefs concealed-carry permissions. He called himself a proud gun owner and hunter who believes in the Second Amendment, according to the News-Leader.
