Fairfax, Va. – Today, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed into law a bill backed by the National Rifle Association that will, among other things, protect law-abiding gun owners from having their firearms confiscated or regulated during a state of emergency. Senate File 878 passed both chambers with strong bipartisan support.
“This is a huge victory for Minnesota gun owners and sportsmen,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “This law ensures that law-abiding gun owners won’t have their guns confiscated by the government following a declared emergency, as occurred following Hurricane Katrina. Our lives and property are arguably at greatest risk during a state of emergency. This new law says loud and clear ‘keep your hands off our guns.’”
SF 878 contains the following pro-Second Amendment provisions:
- prohibits any government agency from confiscating or regulating the lawful possession, carrying, transfer, transportation and defensive use of firearms or ammunition during a state of emergency, like the actions that occurred in the wake of Hurricane Katrina;
- aligns Minnesota with more than 40 other states that have conformed their statutes to federal law so that their residents can purchase rifles and shotguns in non-contiguous states, provided that the purchase or transfer complies with state and federal law;
- modifies the Capitol Carry Notification provision (current statute allows permit holders to carry on the capitol complex as long as permit holders “notify the sheriff or the commissioner of public safety, as appropriate.” This legislation would update and clarify the statute to provide that application for a permit constitutes “notification”);
- provides a language change to help resolve carry permit reciprocity issues;
- legalizes ownership and possession of firearm sound suppressors (suppressors are legal to own under federal law and in 39 other states).
“On behalf of the NRA’s five-million members, I'd like to thank Speaker Kurt Daudt and Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk for their tremendous leadership on this issue, as well as the large group of bipartisan lawmakers who supported this bill. We are grateful for all they’ve done to defend freedom in Minnesota.”
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Follow the NRA on social at Facebook.com/NationalRifleAssociation and Twitter @NRA.
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