UNITED STATES NEWS

Gun safety proposals take big step forward at Minnesota Legislature

May 10, 2023, 4:44 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn, (AP) — A pair of gun violence prevention measures long sought by Minnesota Democrats were added Wednesday to a broad public safety budget bill, significantly raising their chances of becoming law.

By unanimous voice votes, an all-Democratic House-Senate conference committee approved expanded background checks for gun transfers and a separate proposal for a “red flag law.” It would allow authorities to obtain “extreme risk protection orders” to temporarily take guns away from people deemed to be an imminent threat to others or themselves.

But the Gov. Tim Walz has pledged to sign it.

Michigan, another Midwest state where gun-owning culture runs deep, found that they are barely used in the 19 states and the District of Columbia where they exist.

While the Minnesota House had included the two proposals in its version of the bill, it has been an open question all year whether supporters could find enough votes in the Senate, where Democrats hold only a one-seat majority and left the language out of their version. The conference committee’s action Wednesday suggested that sponsors think they now have the votes.

Committee members pointed to the momentum in Texas flickered out Wednesday after Republicans stalled a bill that would raise the purchase age for AR-style rifles,

Sen. Bonnie Westlin, of Plymouth, said the shooters are frequently experiencing suicidal episodes, and there is often some kind of warning that they are in crisis.

“No one has ever said any one of these provisions will completely eliminate gun violence and gun deaths and gun injuries. No one has ever made that statement,” Westlin said. “But this is about harm reduction. It is about risk reduction. It is about acknowledging and intervening and helping people before something happens.”

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Ron Latz, of St. Louis Park, has fought for years to advance both proposals but was blocked in previous sessions by the former Senate Republican majority. He disputed the argument from gun rights supporters that guns aren’t the problem, it’s people.

“Neither of these bills ban firearms,” Latz said. “These bills focus on the people. Separating the firearms from the people who are resisting the law and ineligible to possess firearms and therefore shouldn’t have them — or people, because of the crisis that they’re in, (who) are an immediate threat to the safety of themselves or their family or others around them

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, which contends the proposals would be unconstitutional violations of the Second Amendment, decried how the all-Democratic conference committee rushed through the measures unanimously, with little public discussion and without taking testimony.

“By packaging it together with funding for corrections, courts, and public defenders, they are giving political cover to vulnerable senators,” the group tweeted. It specifically named Democratic Sens. Rob Kupec, of Moorhead, Grant Hauschild, of Hermantown, Judy Seeberger, of Afton, and Aric Putnam, of St. Cloud, some of whom have avoided taking public positions so far.

“It remains to be seen if Senate Democrats have the votes to pass their public safety bill,” GOP Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, of East Grand Forks, said in a statement. “The self-described moderates will have to decide if they will stay true to the promises to their constituents or bend to the will of party leadership.”

United States News

Associated Press

Suspect arrested after shooting at the Oklahoma State Fair injures 1, police say

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — One person was injured when shots were fired during an argument between two groups of people at the Oklahoma State Fair on Saturday, sending a crowd of people running for safety, police said. One person was arrested on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon after the evening shooting, Oklahoma […]

15 minutes ago

Associated Press

Former NHL player Nicolas Kerdiles dies after a motorcycle crash in Nashville. He was 29

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former NHL player Nicolas Kerdiles died Saturday after a motorcycle crash in Nashville, according to police. He was 29. The one-time hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks drove his motorcycle through a stop sign early Saturday and hit the driver’s side of an SUV, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. […]

42 minutes ago

Associated Press

Hazing lawsuit filed against University of Alabama fraternity

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — A student and his parents have filed a lawsuit against a University of Alabama fraternity, saying he suffered a traumatic brain injury while being hazed as a fraternity pledge earlier this year. The lawsuit filed last week accuses Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and others associated with it of fraud, negligence and […]

54 minutes ago

This illustration provided by NASA depicts the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft at the asteroid Bennu. On Wedn...

Associated Press

NASA recovers asteroid samples in largest haul of material from beyond the moon

NASA’s first asteroid samples fetched from deep space parachuted into the Utah desert Sunday to cap a seven-year journey.

57 minutes ago

Associated Press

Louisiana man who fled attempted murder trial captured after 32 years on the run

ARCADIA, La. (AP) — A Louisiana man who fled his 1991 trial for attempted murder has been arrested more than three decades later after authorities found him hiding in Mexico, authorities said. Greg Lawson, 63, was brought back to the United States on Thursday after being located in Mexico, the FBI said. Lawson was accused […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Former President Jimmy Carter makes appearance at peanut festival ahead of his 99th birthday

PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, on Saturday made a surprise appearance at the Plains Peanut Festival in their Georgia hometown, the Carter Center wrote in a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The former president and his wife are seen in a reposted video riding […]

2 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Home moving relocation in Arizona 2023...

BMS Moving

Tips for making your move in Arizona easier

If you're moving to a new home in Arizona, use this to-do list to alleviate some stress and ensure a smoother transition to your new home.

...

Mayo Clinic

Game on! Expert sports physicals focused on you

With tryouts quickly approaching, now is the time for parents to schedule physicals for their student-athlete. The Arizona Interscholastic Association requires that all student-athletes must have a physical exam completed before participating in team practices or competition.

...

Ability360

At Ability360, every day is Independence Day

With 100 different programs and services, more than 1,500 non-medically based home care staff, a world-renowned Sports & Fitness Center and over 15,000 people with disabilities served annually, across all ages and demographics, Ability360 is a nationwide leader in the disability community.

Gun safety proposals take big step forward at Minnesota Legislature