Our 2016 Legislative Tracker tracks all current firearms bills and other bills that may impact the 2nd Amendment in Minnesota during the 2016 legislative session (89th legislature – 2015 – 2016). Any votes on these bills will be scored for our 2016 legislative scorecard.
MINNESOTA HOUSE BILLS
HF2399 – HENNEPIN COUNTY; GUN COURT ESTABLISHMENT FUNDING PROVIDED
- Overview: Creates a gun court in Hennepin County to primarily adjudicate illegal firearm possession cases
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: NEUTRAL W/ POTENTIAL TO EARN OUR SUPPORT
- Link to bill on Minnesota Legislature website
HF2415 – COMPREHENSIVE GUN CONTROL ACT OF 2016
- Overview: Requires training to purchase a firearm, creates a 28 day waiting period to receive a permit to purchase a firearm, requires universal background checks / registration for any firearm transfer, requires government mandated “safe storage” methods for firearms and ammunition, imposes criminal penalties
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota Legislature website
HF2416 – REQUIRING FEDERAL LICENSURE OF PERSONS WHO REGULARLY TRANSFER FIREARMS
- Overview: Requires anyone who buys/sells more than 3 firearms in a calendar year to obtain a federal firearms license, or transfer only through a dealer
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota Legislature website
HF2417 – ESTABLISHING GUN BUYBACK GRANTS FOR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Overview: Requires the Commissioner of Public Safety to create a gun buyback grant program for local law enforcement agencies
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota Legislature website
HF2580 – PROHIBITING PERSONS ON THE TERRORIST WATCHLIST FROM POSSESSING FIREARMS
- Overview: Prohibits persons on the FBI Terrorist Watchlist from possessing firearms
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota Legislature website
HF2726 – PROVIDING THAT CERTAIN FEDERAL LAWS RESTRICTING OR LIMITING FIREARMS ARE UNENFORCEABLE IN MINNESOTA
- Overview: Prohibits certain federal firearms laws from being enforced in Minnesota
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY SUPPORT
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website
HF2897 – A BILL REQUIRING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR FIREARM TRANSFERS; EXCEPTING CERTAIN TRANSFERS
- Overview: This bill is Rep. Schoen’s latest gun control proposal, requiring “universal background checks” aka “universal gun owner registration” on all firearms transfers.
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota Legislature website
HF3209 – ADOPTION OF RULES LIMITING USE OF LEAD SHOT PROHIBITED
- Overview: Prohibits the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources from regulating or banning lead shot
- Current Status: Passed out of Mining & Outdoor Recreation Committee on 11-3 roll call vote, sent by Chair to the register for floor action.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY SUPPORT
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website
HF3647 – A BILL REQUIRING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR FIREARM TRANSFERS; EXCEPTING CERTAIN TRANSFERS
- Overview: This is a near-clone of HF2897 by Rep. Schoen. This bill is Rep. Norton’s latest gun control proposal, requiring “universal background checks” aka “universal gun owner registration” on all firearms transfers.
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota Legislature website
MINNESOTA SENATE BILLS
SF2228 – A bill for an act relating to public safety; modifying provisions related to the transfer of pistols and semiautomatic military-style assault weapons, eligibility to carry a handgun in public, and eligibility to possess a firearm; modifying the judicial process for restoring firearms eligibility to certain persons who have become ineligible; modifying the judicial challenge process for persons who have been denied a permit to carry a handgun; making it a crime to falsely report the loss or theft of a firearm; expanding the crime of transferring certain firearms to an ineligible person; clarifying the law on aiding and abetting an ineligible person to possess a firearm.
- Overview: This bill is a comprehensive gun control bill that would create a significant number of hurdles for law-abiding gun owners. The bill would require universal background checks, make it easier for police to deny you a purchase permit, and make it easier for Sheriffs to deny your carry permit without cause.
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website
SF2268 – A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY; REQUIRING FEDERAL LICENSURE OF PERSONS WHO REGULARLY TRANSFER FIREARMS; PROPOSING CODING FOR NEW LAW IN MINNESOTA STATUTES, CHAPTER 624
- Overview: This bill appears to be the Senate version of Rep. Kim Norton’s HF2416 (details above)
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website
SF2269 – COMPREHENSIVE GUN CONTROL ACT OF 2016
- Overview: Requires training to purchase a firearm, creates a 28 day waiting period to receive a permit to purchase a firearm, requires universal background checks / registration for any firearm transfer, requires government mandated “safe storage” methods for firearms and ammunition, imposes criminal penalties. This appears to be the Senate version of Rep. Kim Norton’s HF2415.
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website
SF2357 – PROHIBITING PERSONS NAMED ON THE CONSOLIDATED TERRORIST WATCHLIST FROM POSSESSING FIREARMS
- Overview: Prohibits persons on the FBI Terrorist Watchlist from possessing firearms. This is the Senate version of HF2580.
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website
SF2416 – CELLULAR TELEPHONE CASES WITH FIREARM RESEMBLANCE POSSESSION PROHIBITION
- Overview: Prohibits possession of cell phone cases that look like a firearm
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: Neutral
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website
SF2493 – CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR FIREARM TRANSFERS REQUIREMENT
- Overview: This bill, written by Michael Bloomberg’s “Everytown for Gun Sense” organization, is their standard universal background check / universal gun owner registration law. It would require most private sales to be conducted through a federal firearms license holder, with a background check and federal documentation completed.
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website
SF2980 – “Red Flag” / Gun Violence Restraining Orders
- Overview: This bill, written by Michael Bloomberg’s “Everytown for Gun Sense” organization, allows a judge to order your firearms seized and restrict you from purchasing firearms, based upon a hearing initiated by police, your doctor, your neighbors, members of your family, or others. You’ll neither be notified of this hearing or allowed to attend before the judge renders a verdict.
- Current Status: This bill has been filed and has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus Position: STRONGLY OPPOSED
- Link to bill on Minnesota legislature website