Missouri Becomes The 36th State With A "Shall Issue" Handgun Law This means they have objective criteria for issuing handgun permits, not simply a sheriff deciding he doesn't want anyone to have a gun. The governor had veto power and the 23-10 vote narrowly overrode his veto. The bill would require county sheriffs to issue a gun-carrying permit to someone who had passed a background check and completed safety training. Missouri joins Colorado, Minnesota, and New Mexico in enacting "shall issue" legislation this year. Such legislation is thought to have a reasonable chance of passing soon in Ohio and Wisconsin. California, of course, is one of the "may issue" states, in which sheriffs and police chiefs have nearly unlimited discretion in issuing permits. This does protect criminals, of course, but doesn't do much to protect honest citizens of the state. Vermont, very much a liberal state, also has the most relaxed gun-control laws in the nation, needing no permit of any kind to carry a concealed handgun ... and they have virtually no crime as a result. Article Here