SECOND REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 8

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES SALVA (Sponsor), MUNZLINGER, GATSCHENBERGER, SHIVELY, QUINN, TODD, SCAVUZZO AND MEADOWS (Co-sponsors).

3761L.01I

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

            Whereas, the sport of trap shooting is one of the three major forms of competitive clay pigeon shooting and is growing in popularity throughout the United States and Missouri; and

            Whereas, the trap shooting games were originally meant for the hunters to develop their skills, but these shooting games have obtained international recognition and are encouraged by sports associations; and

            Whereas, trap shooting is a sport where flying clay targets are fired at with a shot gun. Trap shooting is considered to be an exciting and challenging sport where many people, young and old, compete in trap shooting events; and

            Whereas, trap shooting has been a sport since at least 1793 when it used real birds, usually the Passenger Pigeon, which was extremely abundant at the time. Fake birds were introduced around the time of the American Civil War as the Passenger Pigeon was nearing extinction. Clay targets were introduced in the 1880's; and

            Whereas, Olympic trap is one of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) shooting events, introduced to the Olympic program in 1900. The current version of the sport was introduced in 1950; and

            Whereas, the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) is the primary governing body of American trap shooting and has launched a major initiative to attract more youth shooters; and

            Whereas, a great deal of coordination and discipline is needed for trap shooting. Trap shooting sports test a player's skill in marksmanship and strategy and improve confidence of youth who may not possess the physical attributes to compete in other competitive sports offered at their schools; and

            Whereas, the goal of any program of youth trap shooting should be to provide instruction and promote gun safety, personal responsibility, and sportsmanship among primary and secondary students; and

            Whereas, the ATA and many state organizations also award scholarships to college-bound trap shooters based on citizenship, scholarship, and need. Many youth trap shooters are now attending college with the help of those scholarships; and

            Whereas, our youth should have the opportunity and be encouraged to participate in this extracurricular activity in the same manner as other youth extracurricular activities, such as football, baseball, softball, basketball, track, scouting, or band; and

            Whereas, the boards of education of every Missouri school district is encouraged to promote and include trap shooting as a high school sport:

            Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby encourage the school boards of every school district in the State of Missouri, in conjunction with the Missouri Youth Sport Shooting Alliance, to voluntarily promote and include trap shooting as a high school sport for the youth of our state; and

            Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for Commissioner of Education Chris L. Nicastro, the Missouri Trap Shooters Association, the Missouri Youth Sport Shooting Alliance, and each school district in Missouri.

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