(Reuters) - In a defeat for gun rights advocates, Missouri lawmakers failed on Wednesday to override Governor Jay Nixon's veto of a bill that would have prevented federal enforcement of gun laws in the state.
The Republican-led state Senate voted 22-12 to override the bill, falling one vote short of the two-thirds' majority needed. Earlier in the day, the Republican-controlled state House voted 109-49 to override the bill, reaching exactly the required number.
The bill would have allowed the state to prosecute federal officials who attempted to enforce federal gun laws in Missouri. It also would have allowed suspected criminals to sue federal agents who arrest them on gun charges.
"The fight ain't over. We'll be back to visit it again and again," said Republican state Senator Brian Nieves.
Opponents of the bill said it undermined enforcement of gun laws. They also pointed to concerns voiced by police chiefs and sheriffs across the state.
"The reality is, this bill says that every federal law, whether reasonable or not, cannot be enforced in Missouri," Democratic Representative Mike Colona said during debate on the state House floor.
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