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Gun control bills before Minnesota House vote
Three DFL-backed gun control bills that would redefine safe storage, force gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm, increase punishment for straw purchases, and ban binary triggers — where a single pull fires two bullets, are before a lawmaker vote on Monday night. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard is live at the Capitol.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota DFL leaders are hoping stiffer penalties on where guns are stored will help get them out of the hands of kids, and those who otherwise shouldn’t have them.
Passed by the Minnesota House by a 68-64 vote after more than 11 hours of debate among lawmakers, a new bill would make it a crime to store, keep, or leave a firearm in any place – unless the firearm is unloaded and equipped with a locking device, or locked in a firearm storage/locked gunroom.
Currently, under Minnesota law, it’s a gross misdemeanor to store or leave a loaded firearm where the person knows, or should know, that a child is likely to gain access – unless the person takes "reasonable action" to prevent a child from accessing the firearm.
The bill deletes the "reasonable action" standard, replacing the vague language with the specific language.
Penalties for enforcement range from a petty misdemeanor to a felony – up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A person found guilty of gross misdemeanor negligent storage of firearms would be prohibited from possessing a firearm for three years.
Several DFL-backed bills this session focus on gun control, including required reporting of a lost or stolen firearm, increased punishments for straw purchases, and banning binary triggers.
Legislators had wide agreement on stronger punishment for straw purchases, but not on the binary trigger ban, which is in the same bill.
GOP members have resisted changes regarding gun restrictions, saying they infringe on the Second Amendment and make legal-abiding homeowners less safe.