Dozens gather at Minnesota Capitol pushing for expanded background checks for all gun sales, "red flag" law
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Dozens of advocates pushing for gun violence prevention gathered at the Minnesota Capitol on Tuesday urging lawmakers to act on policies to make communities safer.
The rally coincided with a scheduled vote in the Minnesota House on a large public safety package that includes two key provisions activists have been demanding for years: expanding background checks for all gun sales and transfers and implementing a "red flag" law.
The latter would allow a family member or law enforcement to petition a judge to temporarily suspend a person's access to guns if they're determined to be a serious risk to themselves or others.
"We have a gun violence epidemic in our country and our state right now. We're putting this on our kids and we shouldn't," said House Majority Leader Jamie Long, DFL-Minneapolis. "We are at a point where adults need to step up and protect our kids and make sure we're doing everything we can to keep them safe."
The number of Minnesotans dying from gunfire hit a 20-year high in 2021, according to a Minnesota Reformer report on federal data. Data analysis by gun safety group Protect Minnesota found that more than 570 people in this state died by a firearm that year.
Opponents of these proposals say they create hurdles for law-abiding gun owners, and they argue red flag laws deprive people of due process -- and don't help them if they're in a crisis.
"If someone is a legitimate threat to themselves or others, simply seizing the firearms will not prevent the individual from being a harm to themselves or others through other means, said Rep. Paul Novotny, R-Elk River.
The House had not begun debate on the plan as of Tuesday evening. Other policies pitched this session, including raising the age to by a military-style weapon and safe storage rules, are off the table.
The Minnesota Senate does not include the background checks and red flag law provisions in its own version of the public safety package, but DFL leaders in that chamber say they are optimistic there will be action on those policies this year.
The bills moved out of necessary committees, but with a one-seat majority, all Democrats will need to be on board.
"We are working on a plan to get all of it passed by the end of session. I'm confident we'll be able to do that," Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee said recently. "We're working on the strategy and tactics for trying to get this all done to cross the finish line."
This story is developing and will be updated.