Local leaders call for state action allowing cities to pass gun restrictions
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More than a dozen leaders of cities around Minnesota called for the Legislature to repeal a state law that prevents cities from enacting their own gun regulations.
The coalition of mostly Democratic mayors led by St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said the cities are preparing ordinances to introduce in case the state preemption law is repealed. Their proposal would include bans on public possession of assault weapons, devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into automatic firearms and possession of guns in public spaces like community centers and parks. They also want to require that every gun has a serial number.
“We all know that Congress is unlikely to take bold action, and we all know that there’s an uphill battle for bold action to come out of this space,” Carter said. “That means local leaders have to stand up and act — we have to do something different.”
After the August shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis that killed two children and wounded dozens of others, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vowed to call a special legislative session on gun violence. But he’s recently walked back that promise, saying it wouldn’t make sense to bring the closely-divided Legislature back if they don’t consider bills on high-capacity magazines and assault rifles.
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House Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska of Ramsey has said that he doesn’t believe there are any votes for the Democratic proposal on assault weapons. Republicans have said they’d prefer more policies on mental health and school security. Due to the closely-divided Legislature, any proposals would need bipartisan backing in order to pass.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said city leaders need to be freed up to take action if state and federal lawmakers don’t or won’t act.
“We‘re the ones who are called at 1:30 in the morning because yet another kid has been gunned down. We’re the ones that have phone calls and meetings with grieving family members who are suffering deeply because of gun violence,” Frey said. “We know what the answers are: the answer is to get these weapons of war off our streets.”
Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon said he talks to lots of people who don’t believe lawmakers will take action on guns even after the school shooting. He said legislators need to adopt a bipartisan approach.
“These kids that died at Annunciation and across the country weren’t Republicans and weren’t Democrats,” Hanlon said.
Kathleen Anderson, a leader of the Minnesota chapter of Moms Demand Action, said families of the children killed and injured at Annunciation are “begging” for action.
“Local leaders should have the power to protect their communities, but right now, Minnesota preemption laws stop them from doing so,” Anderson said. “They handcuff cities and counties, blocking them from passing their own gun safety measures, even basic commonsense ones.”
Carter said local officials plan to engage with lawmakers to build support for the proposal.
“If there are folks who hold gavels in this building who say, ‘We’re not going to do anything different as a result of seeing children being murdered in our schools.’ Well, that’s not acceptable,” Carter said. “That’s why our cities have to act.”
