RALLY DAY
Wednesday – April 19, 2023 – 10 A.M. to NOON
Missouri State Capitol, First Floor Rotunda, Jefferson City
Sponsored by: MPS (Missourians for Personal Safety), GCLA (Gateway Civil Liberties Alliance), WMSA (Western Missouri Shooters Alliance), MSSA (Missouri Sport Shooting Association), DC Project Women for Gun Rights, MissouriCarry.com, and other pro-freedom groups.
Rally Day, April 18, 2013. Photo by Mark Buckner.
Each year in the spring, Second Amendment advocates gather in the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda to rally the gun-rights grassroots base and lobby the legislature on gun-rights issues and pending legislation. Rally Day also offers an excellent opportunity for gun owners and pro-gun legislators to get better acquainted and forge stronger alliances.
Most important, a strong turnout is critical to countering anti-gun political pressures and focusing legislators’ attention on passing pro-gun-rights bills. Our legislators need our support to strengthen their resolve to stand firm against bad legislation. Strong support also contributes essential impetus to push good bills through to the end and enact good law.
We need you at the Rally. Take off work! Join us at the Capitol for a couple of hours. Maybe even take your kids out of school, and let them get a great firsthand civics lesson they will never get in the classroom. Bring along your hunting or shooting buddy who wouldn’t ordinarily come out for such an event. Bring others, or come alone, but come to the Rally. Help restore and preserve our Second Amendment Rights.
Be there! It matters.
About the Rally
The rally is a non-partisan event, and pro-gun legislators do reside on both sides of the aisle. Rally-goers are encouraged to act respectfully at all times and to dress appropriately. Political-party t-shirts, hats, etc., are not recommended and don’t help the cause.
The Gun-Rights Rally is usually presided over by a designated emcee who introduces guest speakers and, as they arrive, any legislators who may come to address the crowd. (During the rally, legislators are in chambers, working, and can only make an appearance as time permits to take a break from the legislative body.)
Rally-goers are strongly encouraged to go speak with their elected officials after the rally. (See Legislator Lookup.) Talking points, especially as it relates to pending legislation, will be recommended during the rally. The office room numbers for House and Senate members are available online or at the information desk located at the entrance to the rotunda.
Carrying in the Capitol
The general public is prohibited from bringing weapons of any kind inside; however, persons having a valid ccw permit may carry concealed firearms. Those with a valid conceal and carry firearms permit must use the South Carriage Tunnel public entrance and be in possession both of their permit and valid photo identification. Conceal and carry permit holders are not allowed to carry concealed firearms on the chamber floor of either the House or Senate, in the House or Senate galleries, or any legislative meeting rooms. This policy is in accordance with Chapter 571 of the Missouri Revised Statutes.
Persons who do not meet the above qualifications may not enter the Capitol Building with a firearm. Persons in legal possession of a firearm but who do not meet the above qualifications will be asked to return the firearm to a secure location in their vehicle prior to entering the Capitol.
In order to carry a concealed firearm into the Capitol, at the entrance checkpoint:
YOU MUST DECLARE THAT YOU ARE CARRYING.
You must show a valid CCW permit and a photo ID.
Do not display your firearm, keep your firearm concealed at all times.
Info source, further details, and map of entrances: mcp.dps.mo.gov/capitol-security.html
Capitol Rules
Other rules also apply. Under the Code of State Regulations, 1 CSR 35-1.050, should any of the following prohibitions be violated, the event may be canceled immediately and/or the offending individuals asked to leave. Your cooperation is very much appreciated.
(4) Public Use of the Capitol Building and Grounds.
(A) The following activities and conditions are not permitted in or about the Capitol Building and grounds, as defined in section (1) of this rule:
- Purely private social events, such as weddings, regardless of the type or content;
- The service or consumption of alcoholic beverages, except as provided in paragraph (4)(A)3.;
- Box lunches, buffet style or “sit down” food service, or any other service of food or beverage is prohibited in the rotunda, except that the service of food and beverage, including alcoholic beverages, is permitted if it is part of a state government function and is approved by the Board of Public Buildings. The service of food or beverage on the Capitol grounds is prohibited unless approved by the facility manager and the food or beverage is served without charge;
- In order to minimize damage to the rotunda floor, dance events, including demonstrations such as clogging, square dancing and other such activity, are prohibited in the rotunda, unless the events are part of a state government function and are approved by the Board of Public Buildings;
- Commercial activities, including the sale of any goods or services and any other activities undertaken for the primary purpose of obtaining a financial return for the benefit of an individual or organization, whether organized for profit or not, except as otherwise authorized in this rule;
- The solicitation of contributions, gifts or donations is prohibited in all common areas of the Capitol Building, and the distribution of leaflets or other materials and all other forms of solicitation, including solicitation of support for any political candidate or cause is prohibited in all common areas of the Capitol Building except the rotunda and the south steps;
- Making any speech or conducting any organized activity involving two (2) or more persons without first obtaining a permit from the facility manager, or distributing leaflets or other materials which have not been provided to the facility manager in conjunction with an application for a permit, or leaving leaflets or other materials unattended;
- Any activity that obstructs the free ingress or egress of those wishing to enter or leave the rotunda or other portions of the Capitol;
- A sound level, noise, or any other activity that disrupts the business of government in the Capitol;
- The use of balloons of any kind in the rotunda;
- Smoking in any of the common areas inside the Capitol Building, except in those areas that have specifically been designated as “smoking areas”;
- Guns or weapons of any kind, except as authorized in section (5) of this rule [or by ccw permit holders as provided above];
- The use, in the rotunda, of lighted candles or other devices which produce flames;
- Signs, banners and like material shall not be fastened in any way to the walls, surfaces, or railing surrounding the rotunda. Wood, metal or plastic poles or standards shall not be used to support signs or banners and shall not be brought onto the Capitol grounds. Signs displayed during an activity shall not contain any obscene words or symbols;
- Any other activity that presents a significant likelihood of damage to the rotunda or other portions of the Capitol;
- Camping, as previously defined in this rule; and
- Any activity that is a violation of federal, state or local law.
Capitol Building
Maps of all the different floors of the Capitol building are available here or here. The first-floor rotunda is in the center of the first floor, it’s hard to miss. The cafeteria is in the northwest end of the basement, right across from the elevators. (Another set of elevators can be found at the southeast end of the building.) The visitor galleries overlooking the Senate and House chambers are on the fourth floor. The second and third floors are mostly offices.
Parking
See the Capitol Complex Parking Map for an interactive map with click-for-details on most of the parking lots in the area, or download a map here. Of course, metered parking is also available on city streets and around the capitol, plus there is a fairly close public parking garage at Madison Street and Capitol Avenue. Car pooling is suggested.
Rally Flyers
Click the image to download the PDF. Help get the word out — print and distribute! Gun clubs, ranges, and gun stores usually allow posting.
Rally Flyer by mzM
Rally Flyer by Mark Buckner
Rally Flyer by GCLA
Contact
Questions? For bus rides and all other information about the Gun Rights Rally, please call:
WMSA at (877) 333-9672
or
GCLA at (314) 385-4867
See you there!