With another DFL trifecta, Minnesota lawmakers expected to take on gun reform in the next legislative session

The DFL won back control of a tied House, and increased their slim one-seat majority in the Senate. Add in holding the governor's office, and like in 2022-2023, it is the Democrats in control.

During her acceptance speech on Tuesday after defeating Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth, Governor-Elect Amy Klobuchar promised that she would sign a bill banning assault weapons if it gets to her desk.

That is very welcome news for Minnesota Moms Demand Action.

"We have so many guns in this country. We have 400 million guns in this country, more guns than people," says spokesperson Carla Gillespie.

She says there are numerous laws similar to what they're proposing, which she thinks would at least prevent more tragedies like the Annunciation Church shooting.

"We have laws that we enacted to prevent children from harm, with like childproof caps on medicine and chemicals to prevent poisoning, and physical barriers around pools to prevent drowning, and car seats to reduce injury," Gillespie explains. "And none of those laws eliminated all of the injuries and deaths that they were enacted to address, but all of them have reduced tragic outcomes and saved lives."

She says Minnesotans overwhelmingly support the ban. There is polling data showing that is true. A State Fair poll conducted by the Minnesota House of Representatives showed 75.2% of respondents favored a ban on the possession of semiautomatic military-style assault weapons (with exceptions for peace officers and military), while 20.5% opposed and 4.3% were undecided.

Another poll shared by KTTC and ABC 6 News in southern Minnesota showed 69% support banning assault-style weapons (such as AR-15s), while 28% oppose it.

Still, it has yet to get enough support from elected officials to make it to the governor's desk, despite outgoing Gov. Tim Walz spent months after Annunciation trying to gather legislative support, first in a special session, and then in the regular session, for an assault weapons ban and stronger red flag laws.

Eventually, during this past year's legislative session, a bill was passed in the Senate where the Democrats held a one-seat advantage. But was never voted on in the House.

And that is something that followed Demuth throughout the campaign that she eventually lost to Klobuchar.

After the Annunciation Church shooting, parents pressured lawmakers to vote on new restrictions on guns. In the end, the DFL-controlled Senate passed a sweeping package of gun control measures, including a ban on assault-style weapons which were used in the Annunciation shooting.

But no vote was taken on the floor, which was under the leadership Demuth.

During a debate leading up to the Election, Klobuchar accused Demuth of breaking her promise to families who lost children during the 2025 mass shooting. Klobuchar said Demuth lied to families when making a promise to vote on a gun safety package.

"She told them she would give a vote for the gun safety package," Klobuchar said. "Allow for a vote no matter how she voted on it, and she did not. She lied to them."

Demuth pushed back, saying she pledged to the families that bills would go through the legislative process - not that it would ultimately get to a vote. It was In the 2026 legislative session, Demuth never allowed a gun control bill to hit the House floor, with Democrats accusing her of holding the legislation hostage.

"I would not lie to them," Demuth said. "I said bills would be introduced, they would go through the process, and they would be voted on. That happened eight times."

The assault weapons ban failed on a 10–10 party-line vote in the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee in February 2026.

It was a ban of the sale of assault weapons and large capacity magazines which Republicans opposed.

That sort of tie situation now lies in full DFL control. There will also be new leadership in the state House, and a new voice in the governor's mansion.

"11 states and Washington D.C. have assault weapons bans," adds Gillespie. "And we think Minnesota should be the next one to join that list."