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According to news reports... Jackson County -- [Kansas City area] has decided to begin taking applications from residents wishing to qualify for licenses to carry concealed firearms.

This is a MAJOR VICTORY!! The authorities in Jackson County should be applauded for their wisdom in making this step should they indeed follow through.

That now leaves ONLY TWO areas that are not taking and issuing licenses to carry... St. Louis City and St. Louis County.

St. Louis County filed suit to claim that the law as passed created a "Hancock violation" causing the county government to incur costs that they cannot recover. They won their suit in Cole County late last year.

However, does a "Hancock violation" really exist? Does the County really expend money for administering the program without the capability of recovering the cost?

If you go down to the county or city offices on Monday, you will find someone there to take your fingerprints. They are paid to be there to take fingerprints for all types of background checks. They are paid to be there every day whether one person comes in or one hundred persons come in to be printed. They are ALREADY in the budget. Taking fingerprints does NOT cost any more than the city/county are already paying.

If you go into the offices on Monday and ask for a criminal history check, there are persons there to take your forms and process them. They are there everyday whether one person or one hundred persons show up for a criminal history check. Processing the forms does NOT cost any more than the city/county are already paying.

For the Missouri Highway Patrol's fee of $38.00 to perform the fingerprint check, the check gets sent directly to them by the applicant... so where is the cost?

The County government, under the direction of County Executive C. Dooley argued and won that there were costs. But they didn't really argue because of the costs... they really just didn't want to issue licenses.

Charlie Dooley thought that by preventing St. Louis County from taking applications and issuing permits, that NO ONE would be allowed to carry concealed firearms under license. He was and IS WRONG.

It was pointed out to the County government by us that by voluntarily NOT taking applications, they were NOT preventing the legality of LTC in St. Louis City/County. We pointed out that the ONLY THING C. Dooley's position has accomplished is that St. Louis County/City PDs:
1) Are NOT involved in the background process;
2) Do NOT get any money for training or equipment; and
3) The records of who has licenses is NOT entered into the DOR records.

Why? Because, to date, an estimated 4,000 County residents have applied to and are in the process of receiving permits FROM FLORIDA! That does NOT include those getting them from other states like Utah and Maine. In other words, by NOT issuing, the good residents have taken their money and their background checks to other venues... not because they wanted to, but because they were FORCED TO by C. Dooley's position. And this position has been the direct cause that St. Louis County/City PDs DON'T KNOW WHO in the County/City has been issued permits!

Changes Coming At St. Louis County?

The fact that their reluctance to take applications did NOT prevent LTC for Jackson County played a part in their decision to start issuing permits. The fact that their position created a lack of knowing "who" had permits was a major force in Jackson County's decision as well.

There are indications that these same factors are at play in the land of Dooley.

St. Louis County PD, after months of refusing to take fingerprints for residents applying to Florida for a permit, is working on a process to take applications and conduct background checks for your Florida permit. BUT... the reason is so that they can create an unofficial database of who has a Florida permit.

We suggest that if you want a Florida or other Out-Of-State permit, do NOT go to St. Louis County to be fingerprinted. Go to one of the neighboring county PDs and get your prints there.

IF St. Louis County wants to know which of its residents have applied for and received licenses to carry concealed firearms, the solution is REAL SIMPLE... follow the example of 113 other counties and ISSUE MISSOURI LICENSES TO YOUR RESIDENTS.

ONE MORE DOWN... TWO TO GO.

The pressures are already in place and working within the governments of the last hold-out counties. Jackson is apparantly ready to fall. How much longer berfore St. Louis City/County begin to issue as well? We will see.

Stay tuned.

Greg Jeffery
Legislative Chairman -- Gateway Civil Liberties Alliance
Legislative Coordinator -- Missourians for Personal Safety
Designated Part-Time Spokesman -- Western Missouri Shooters Alliance