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Missouri Bill Would Require Missing Firearms to be Reported

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  A proposed bill would impose penalties on Missouri gun owners who don't report a lost or stolen firearm within three days of discovering the item is missing.

The St. Joseph News-Press reports that under the bill proposed by Democratic Rep. Bruce Franks, gun owners failing to file a report on a missing or stolen firearm could face up to $100 for the first violation and $1,000 for the second. The third violation would result in a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000 or both.

St. Joseph Safety and Health Council director Sheldon Lyon says stolen guns are often pawned or sold on the secondary black market and can be used for crimes. Lyon says reporting missing weapons would make it easy to confiscate stolen guns in suspected criminal activities.

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