Gun bills addressing storage, straw purchases pass Minnesota House
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Three bills addressing gun safety are now heading to the Minnesota Senate.
On Thursday, the Minnesota House debated two gun bills for several hours. The first bill, which passed in a 68-64 vote late in the evening, expands storage standards that require guns to be unloaded and equipped with a lock or kept in a locked storage case or room.
The second bill would make the straw purchase of guns a felony and would require reporting on gun trafficking and firearm seizures. Additionally, the bill would also prohibit "binary trigger" devices, clarifying the definition of illegal trigger activators. That bill passed early Friday morning with more support — a 71-59 vote.
A third bill, passed early this week, will require lost or stolen firearms to be reported to law enforcement.
In a statement released Friday, Gov. Tim Walz celebrated the passage of the bills in the House.
"As a gun-owner, veteran, hunter, and dad, I know that basic gun safety is a critical part of responsible gun ownership. I applaud the House for passing a trio of common sense bills that would make Minnesota safer by making sure guns don't fall into the wrong hands," Walz said. "I am ready to sign this legislation into law as soon as it reaches my desk."
Walz began pushing the Minnesota Legislature for expanded gun safety bills following the fatal shootings of three Burnsville first responders in February. Officials say one of the gunman's firearms was equipped with a binary trigger. The gunman's sometime girlfriend is also accused of illegally buying the weapons used in the killings.
Last year, the legislature expanded background checks for most gun transfers and passed a "red flag" law allowing families or law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily remove someone's access to guns if they're deemed a harm to themselves or others.