As Senate Republicans hold a hearing in Hibbing Tuesday on pro-gun proposals for the upcoming session, several more in the GOP are looking at a local resolution that hundreds of cities and counties outside of Minnesota have already adopted.
Representatives Shane Mekeland, Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, Deputy Majority Leader Sen. Michelle Benson, Sen. Andrew Mathews, Rep. Sondra Erickson and Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, as well as House District 30A candidate Paul Novotny signed a letter to the Sherburne County Board of Commissioners urging them to establish a 2nd Amendment sanctuary county.
"We are getting inundated with emails in our offices with people very concerned about what they see going on nationwide and they're hearing some of the similar stuff coming from leadership in the House as well as the governor," Mekeland told WCCO.
The legislative session starts in three weeks. Democrats and gun safety advocates have vowed to continue pushing for red-flag laws, which allow police to petition courts to temporarily remove a firearm from someone deemed a danger to themselves or others, as well as universal background checks.
Mekeland says he hopes more local municipalities initiate a conversation.
"We're out there at the state level saying, 'We're there with you.'"