This is probably the biggest leap in advancing gun owner’s rights in Minnesota since the Personal Protection Act.
Tony Cornish’s (Rep – Good Thunder) bill addresses several gaping holes in MN gun laws, and addresses real concerns that are affecting civil rights.
A note from my friends at GOCRA with email addresses is attached below, but in a nutshell, Cornish’s bill addresses the following:
Adds “Stand Your Ground”:- Removes the obligation to attempts retreat before defending yourself
Enhances “Castle Doctrine”:- Clarifies use of deadly force in your home, leaves less up for interpretation.
Prevents Gun Seizures:- Gov’t cannot seize guns, or suspend gun ownership as we saw in Katrina.
Forces MN DHS to make all records (e.g. Mental Health) available to NICS :- Strengthens NICS background Check system with current MN data.
Extended Permit to Purchase to 5 years:- Lightens the administrative burden on Police, updates time frame to coincide with “permit to carry”.
Universal Carry Permit Resiprosity:- MN will accepts all other state’s carry permits, and MN carry permit holders will be able to carry in more states.
GOCRA Eblast:
The most important piece of gun legislation since the MCPPA gets its first hearing at the Capitol next Thursday, and we need you there!
Tony Cornish’s HR1467 brings “Stand Your Ground” protections to Minnesota, enhances Castle Doctrine, prevents the state from seizing guns during an emergency (remember Hurricane Katrina?), extends purchase permits to five years and improves carry reciprocity with other states.
Here’s some more info about the bill, in case you missed it last week:
“The most important update to Minnesota gun law since the Minnesota Citizens’ Personal Protection Act.”
That’s what GOCRA president Joseph E. Olson had to say about a sweeping set of reforms introduced today in the Minnesota House.
The full text of the bill can be found here: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1467.0.html&session=ls87
The bill expands our rights in many ways. Here’s an overview.
Adds Stand Your Ground
HR1467, authored by long-time gun rights advocate Representative Tony Cornish (R – Good Thunder), brings “Stand Your Ground” protections to Minnesota, removing the requirement that an intended victim of violent crime must retreat from a place where he has a right to be before using deadly force in self defense.
Enhances Castle Doctrine
The bill also strengthens Minnesota’s “Castle Doctrine”, clarifying when and under what circumstances an individual may use deadly force to protect themselves and their homes and vehicles. In addition, it creates a presumption that, when faced with an apparent home invasion or kidnapping attempt, a person may use deadly force in self defense.
Prevents Gun Seizures During a State of Emergency
Taking a lesson from the problems in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, the bill also bans government agencies from seizing guns or ammo, revoking permits to purchase or carry, or closing gun shops, during a civil emergency or for any other reason. It also prohibits law enforcement officers from seizing a person’s gun, unless for the person is arrested, or the gun is evidence of a crime.
Extends Purchase Permits to Five Years
The bill also extends the validity of handgun purchase permits from one to five years, adds an annual background check for people holding those five-year permits. It requires the Minnesota Department of Human Services and state courts to make their background check records available electronically to authorized agencies, including the National Instant Background Check system (NICS) — a process that was supposed to have been in place 16 years ago! This should reduce purchasing delays as well as ensuring that state and federal checks produce the same results.
The bill also borrows a page from the Permit to Carry law, providing a more robust appeal process for denied purchase permits, and requiring that police chiefs and sheriffs whose purchase permit denials are overturned must pay the applicants’ legal costs.
Adds Universal Carry Permit Reciprocity
Of particular interest to carry permit holders, the final article of the bill updates our carry permit reciprocity standards, allowing people holding carry permits from any other state to carry in Minnesota (under Minnesota law, of course). This should result in alarge increase in the number of states where Minnesota permit holders can carry, since many states allow other states’ permit holders to carry on a reciprocal basis.
GOCRA is proud to have worked with Representative Cornish in the creation and polishing of this bill. Joined by the NRA, we shared our advice and experience, lending a historical perspective and suggesting beneficial statutory language. This bill is an excellent example of cooperation between legislators, local activists, and our national partners to support and extend our civil rights.
We’ll be talking much more about the details of the bill in the coming days.
Author:Rob Doar