
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has proposed a special session to address gun violence, and along with DFL leaders is putting out a detailed plan for how to do that - but they don't have GOP support yet.
The special session would be held on Monday October 6 at the State Capitol.
“This proposal meets the expectations that Minnesotans have for their elected leaders – that we respond to threats to public safety and take direct action on guns,” said Governor Walz. “We will not let this issue simply go away. Our offer addresses mental health, school safety, support for law enforcement, and most importantly, common sense gun laws.”
DFL leaders have signed on the the proposal but as of yet, no Republican leaders have done so.
Walz says the activity of the special session will be confined to certain policies including an assault weapon and high capacity magazine ban, a ban on binary triggers as well as plans to eliminate the ghost gun loophole.
It also invests money in school security and mental health resources which is something that Republican leaders had wanted, even as they've been resistant to the bans propsed by Walz.
The leaders have until Monday, October 6, 2025 to sign on. So far, just Senate DFL Leader Erin Murphy and House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson have signed off on.
“In the wake of an unspeakable tragedy, DFL leaders have come to the table with a substantial list of proposals to make Minnesota a safer place,” said Senate DFL Leader Erin Murphy. “I’m disappointed Republicans refuse to address the issue of gun violence in any real way. Minnesotans want a comprehensive approach, which should include funding for school safety and mental health access, as well as taking action to limit the easy access to weapons of war on our streets. We are ready to make significant progress, but cannot do that without Republicans showing courage on this issue. Parents from Annunciation, other schools, and Minnesotans around the state are demanding that we do something, and so far only one side is listening to them.”
"And in order to pass anything meaningful, we will need Republican votes, which is what we've been saying all along," says Stephenson.
Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson and House Speaker Lisa Demuth have yet to sign the agreement. Johnson released a statement after the Walz announcement.
“If Governor Walz wants a special session, which only he can do, Senate Republicans will be there to do the important work to keep our kids and communities safe," says Johnson. "Minnesotans deserve better than slogans and press conferences, they need solutions. Democrats and Governor Walz are avoiding the regular committee process that invites public scrutiny and stakeholder input. Only through the full legislative process can Minnesotans truly have a voice and a seat at the table, ensuring their will and not backroom deals, shapes our public policy.”
According to the Senate GOP who provided this statement to WCCO, there is no counter-offer from them: "Senate Republicans did not make an individual offer because we remain committed to solving this through the full legislative process, not backroom deals."
Demuth and GOP House Floor Leader Harry Niska also added the governor has turned down their "fair offer".
Niska says anything that includes a ban of assault weapons won't get far.
"I don't think that there are any Republican House votes in favor of those kind of proposals," Niska said Tuesday.
Demuth commented later on that proposal, which states no other bills other than those listed on the proposal may be passed without approval from legislative leaders.
"It cuts the legislative committee process out," she says. "That is concerning as you read through that proposal. We have to have bills that are fully vetted within the committee process and then moved forward."
"What the governor is asking for is that we that we just passed bills that haven't been written yet, and B, have never had committee hearings, and skip past the entire legislative process," added Niska.
While leadership is clearly at a divide across political parties, when the DFL held the trifecta of the House, Senate and in the Governor's office, they didn't have the votes to pass a weapons ban because some on the Democrat side wouldn't support it, making a special session to pass a ban even more difficult.