/ Courtesy of AP GraphicsBank
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Gun shop owners and salespeople in the St. Louis area say business is up at least 20 percent since a new law became effective August 28 eliminating a time-consuming permit process for purchasing handguns.
The new law also eliminates a $10 fee.
Many buyers were aware of the change and put off purchases until now.
Under the previous system, a county sheriff's department was supposed to do its own background check before issuing a permit.
That was in addition to an FBI background check. Proponents said it offered an extra level of security to keep guns away from those who shouldn't have them.
But critics argued that the old law was often overly restrictive as interpreted by some sheriffs.
(Copyright ©2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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