Lawmakers heard five hours of emotional public testimony at the capitol Wednesday night on two contentious gun control bills.
Hundreds of activists on both sides flooded the hearing and a nearby overflow room as the session went until the midnight deadline, delaying a bill to Thursday on one of the two proposals.
One bill would require universal criminal background checks on all gun sales. The other, called a "red flag law," would allow families and police to seek court orders to temporarily remove guns from those who pose a threat to themselves or others. The public safety committee voted 9-7 to approve the background check bill. The committee moved a vote on the red flag law proposal to Thursday.
Law enforcement officials, such as Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, spoke in support of the bills, as did people affected by gun violence, and doctors like Children's Hospital pediatric intensive care unit physician Dr. Andrew Kiragu.
"They're right," Kiragu said of opponents. "There's no guarantee that this legislation will prevent all gun-related violence. But just because we can't do everything, doesn't mean we shouldn't do something."
"We can't control everyone," Freeman said. "There's still going to be illegal sales going on. But we ought to extend that and try to make our streets safer. That makes common sense to me."
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Louis Denard with the African-American Heritage Gun Club testified against the background check bill and described his own strict rules for transactions.
"The net outcome is this bill will turn law-abiding citizens into criminals," Denard said.
Sarah Cade of Maplewood calls herself a recreational shooter and activist and testified in opposition to the red flag law.
"The bills simply don't do what they say they do," she said. "Red flag laws are inherently prone to abuse."
Governor Tim Walz supports both bills and House Democratic leadership expects floor approval of both.
"If we can come together, if we can use this energy to use our good common sense and make some changes, work out the wrinkles in the laws and and pass that legislation that will somehow make our families safer in Minnesota so they won't be touched by that type of gun violence," Department of Public Safety assistant commissioner Bob Hawkins said. "Mr. Chair, if we can do that, we've done a good thing."
Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka has vowed to block the legislation.
