The Missouri House Emerging Issues committee heard a bill on Wednesday that would allow people to conceal and carry inside places of worship.
Current law authorizes religious leaders to prohibit firearms from the property.
J.T. Young is a pastor and member of Moms Demand Action, a gun safety advocacy group. He opposes the bill. He says religious leaders can decide what’s best for their congregation.
“That's a decision that should be ours to make, not this body. We should be able to worship free from the threat of armed intimidation and gun violence,” Young said.
Republican Representative Ben Baker from Neosho is the sponsor of the bill. He says pastors asked him to file the legislation because they don’t want the responsibility of choosing who can carry.
