Republicancandidatefor Missouri governorCatherineHanawaysays she supports carriage of concealed weapons without a permitfor law-abiding citizens.
The formerfederalprosecutor and Missouri House Speaker unveiled her stanceat CherokeeFirearmsonnorth Nationalin Springfield Thursday.
Hanawayapplauded“constitutional-carry”legislation proposed this past session by Republican Rep. EricBurlison.
“I thinkthere’sa pretty good chance that the legislature may get it done before I get there; Eric has been a real leader on these issues. He‘s continued to build support. Manyof them may get through the legislature next year, and if they do that is fantastic. If they don’t,we are going to get them done when I’m governor,”
Hanawaydid note her support ofkeeping theexistingpermitting process to allow Missouri citizens tolegallycross state lines with concealed weapons undercurrentreciprocity agreements.
While in office,Hanawayinitially opposed a conceal-carry law, temporarily earning hera“D”ratingfrom the NRA.She eventually voted in favor of the law,and saidtheoriginal stance was in support of her district’s views on the issueat that time.
“I went to my constituents and said,look,ifI become speaker we’regoingtomove conceal-carry,I’mgoing tosupport it, I’mgoing todo everything to pass it, they still re-elected me. I then felt like I could go forward and both represent my district and what I had said to them and serve the views of the entire state,” she said.
HanawayalsoexpressedsupportThursdayofincreased penalties for felons in possessionof firearmsand increased penalties for armed criminal action.She proposes that Missouri increase armed criminal action penalties tofiveyears for the firstconvictionand 10 years forasecondor successive conviction, plus up theminimumpunishment forviolent felons in possession ofa firearmtofiveyears imprisonment.
“I think we need to do two things; enforce the laws that are on the books and make sure the sentences sort of fit the crime.”
Hanaway believesonepositive effect of these changeswould be moresupport for police officers. She says that if police officers know that these laws will be fully enforced, she thinks there will be a reduction in police hesitance to confront crime.
Copyright 2015 KSMU