'It Could Save Lives': Red Flag Gun Bill Passes In Minn. House Committee
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For the second time in two days, a major gun control measure has passed a key Minnesota House committee.
Hundreds of pro-gun control supporters packed the Capitol Wednesday night as the House Public Safety Committee voted in favor of universal background check bill.
Late Thursday afternoon, that same committee voted in favor of a "Red Flag" bill which would allow police to seize guns from anyone a judge ruled was a danger to themselves or others.
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Gun control measures have gone nowhere for years at the Capitol, but this year is clearly different. Gun control supporters are giving themselves full credit for working tirelessly to flip the Minnesota House to Democratic control last November. Supporters embraced after the committee voted in favor of the bill.
"It is farther than we have ever gotten and the coalition is strong, and we are powerful and we are excited," said Rev. Nancy Nord Bence, executive director of Protect Minnesota.
The Red Flag law would allow police or family to petition a judge to seize guns from a person if they pose a threat.
"I believe that it could save lives," said Rep. Ruth Richardson, D-Mendota Heights.
She added the bill is about preventing all gun violence, including suicides.
"Seventy-eight percent of gun deaths in Minnesota are related to suicide," Richardson said.
But critics argued the bill is too broad.
"I am really confounded that you would have all these factors and then you go even further and say that the court can go further and consider anything," said Rep. Marion O'Neill.
And they say it violates gun owners' constitutional rights.
"The lack of adversarial process, the lack of ability to defend oneself is not what our criminal justice system is all about," said Bryan Strawser, chairman of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus.
Both the Universal Background bill and the Red Flag bill will now move on to the House Judiciary Committee, and eventually to the full Minnesota House, where even gun rights advocates tell us they think the bills will pass.
And while it is possible these bill could pass the full Democratically-controlled House, it's going to be a very different story in the Minnesota Senate, where Republicans -- who are in the majority -- are promising to block both bills.
