JEFFERSON CITY — Senator Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, today (2-20) released a statement regarding Senate approval (29-4) of Senate Joint Resolution 36, a proposed constitutional amendment relating to the right to keep and bear arms, which now goes to the House for consideration. 

“In recent years, federal courts have explicitly recognized that the Second Amendment of the federal constitution protects an individual right to keep and bear arms.

However, in the landmark Heller and McDonald cases, the Supreme Court did not specify a particular test or level of scrutiny for Second Amendment challenges, leaving some very important questions unanswered. 

SJR 36 represents Missouri stepping into that gap. State constitutions can provide even greater protections for individual rights than the federal constitution. SJR 36 includes a clear and explicit state constitutional guarantee, and provides Missouri courts with guidance on their constitutional analysis and interpretation.   

As chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am glad my colleagues and I had the opportunity to consider this joint resolution, and play a role in its successful passage,” Sen. Dixon said. “I want to thank the sponsor for bringing it forward.”