(MDN News) -- At the same time that Pres. Barack Obama's administration is pushing for tighter restrictions on gun sales, a St. Louis area Democratic Senator is taking another approach -- stronger laws for parental responsibility over firearm access.
Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, has proposed a bill that would create an offense for failing to prevent an illegal firearm possession or for the failure to safely store a firearm. The bill would also require a parent or guardian with a child enrolled in a school to notify the school district -- or the governing body of a private or charter school -- that the parent or guardian owns a firearm.
"This bill is very important to me because in urban cities across the nation, we experience gun violence every single day and usually our type of gun violence deals with people who live in high poverty areas (and) areas where there aren't enough resources," Chappelle-Nadal said.
Under the bill, an offense would be a Class A misdemeanor unless death or injury results, making the offense a Class D felony.
Sen. Brian Munzlinger R-Williamstown, who proposed a bill last week that would declare certain federal firearm laws unenforceable, said he believes Chappelle-Nadal's bill is a step above and beyond what would make anyone safer.
Munzlinger, however, believes programs such as the NRA's Eddie Eagle Program should be instituted in schools.
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