By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – A Cole County judge has ruled that St. Louis County does not have to issue permits for concealed weapons. St. Louis County had challenged the concealed weapons law on the basis that it did not provide funding for permit processing fees.
County officials had argued the unfunded mandate violated the state's Hancock Amendment. Patricia Redington is St. Louis County's legal counselor, "We are following the law, and the law which the court just agreed with us on says that the county does not need to pay its own money to provide concealed carry permits for its citizens."
Under state law, St. Louis County residents are barred from obtaining a concealed weapons permit from any other county. Attorney General Jay Nixon's office is reviewing the judge's decision, and will decide whether to appeal after that review.