Missouri officials recently defended in court a far-reaching state law that declares some federal firearms laws “invalid,” a stark demonstration of how far the state has gone to thwart restrictions on guns.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s Office urged the federal 8th Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the state’s Second Amendment Preservation Act or SAPA during oral arguments on Feb. 23. The 2021 law, signed by Gov. Mike Parson, spurred confusion among law enforcement when it went into effect.