The trusted voice of Minnesota's Gun Owners to Defend and Restore the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

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