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St. Louis County Council to vote on teen gun bill Tuesday

One of the bills would make it illegal for kids 16 years or younger to purchase or carry a gun in public.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The St. Louis County Council will decide whether or not to pass two public safety bills Tuesday night: including one involving teens and guns.

The first bill up for final passage is Bill No. 203. 

If passed, the bill would make it illegal for kids 16 years or younger to purchase or carry a gun in public. It would also make it illegal to give or lend a gun to teens unless the adult is a parent or guardian.

The bill was introduced in the county just months after the City of St. Louis passed a bill cracking down on the carrying of guns in public. 

Bill No. 205 would allow St. Louis County to continue leasing the site of the north county precinct on Benham Road for another six months as construction continues on a new precinct. County leaders broke ground on a new precinct near Christian Hospital on Dunn Road in November of 2022. 

It will be about 17,300-square-feet, which is more than double the size of its current location. 

Both bills were introduced by District 4 Councilwoman Shalonda Webb and are up for final votes. 

The St. Louis County Council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday night, council leaders were expected to decide where it should be illegal for kids 16 years or younger to purchase or carry a gun in public. The council member who proposed that measure couldn't attend the meeting, so it will come up again soon.

According to 5 On Your Side data, there have been 58 homicides in St. Louis County in 2023. Seven of those victims were juveniles. 

Last year, in 2022, there was a total of 77 homicides and seven of the victims were juveniles.

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