ST. LOUIS – On Gun Violence Awareness Day, a showdown unfolded in St. Louis City Hall over a bill that would limit some open-carrying in the city.

“We have a shared agreement [that] we must address gun violence,” said Board of Aldermen President Megan Green.

The room may likely settle on one thing, but how to tackle it is a different story.


Woman claims weight-shaming at a St. Charles water park

“Doing nothing is simply not an option,” said Ward 8 Alderwoman Cara Spencer.

During a news conference Friday, Green told reporters there may be some wordage issues with Board Bill 29. If approved, the bill would ban the open carrying of firearms for people who do not have a state-issued concealed carry permit.

“I think there are a number of structural issues with the bill as it stands,” Green said. “We do not have the authority under state law to confiscate firearms, so the best we can do is assess a $35 fine.”

Spencer then said she wanted to make a couple corrections to the board’s president.

“The confiscation clause is a minor piece of the bill, and it’s a legal term related to the keeping of the gun in the long-term,” Spencer said.

Spencer filed the bill. She said there’s nothing preventing the city from safe harboring the firearm if someone is breaking the city’s local ordinance.

The issue of open carry hit a nerve within the last month or so after images of people carrying weapons near downtown St. Louis.

Spencer points to Kansas City’s ordinance, which is like what’s being proposed in St. Louis.

“The open carry of firearms never became legal there. It never became common place. It never became part of gun-carrying culture like it has taken hold here in St. Louis,” Spencer said.

Green then claimed Kansas City doesn’t enforce their city’s law.

“When talking with Kansas City, they don’t actually enforce this law. They’re concerned about the legality of it and being sued if they did enforce it,” Green said.


A St. Louis anthem you won’t be singing at Busch Stadium

While there may be disagreement over legal jargon, neither Green nor Spencer had the last word today. That went to Ward 10 Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard.

“We have ‘confiscated’ and we have ‘safe harbor’ but as a mother of a child that attends Central Visual Performing Arts, where was the safe harbor with that situation,” she said.

The city’s Public Safety Committee will continue to discuss the bill before it moves forward.