Friends and neighbors,
This was also a very active week for gun control proposals across multiple Senate committees. Instead of focusing on criminals and repeat offenders, many of these proposals focus on adding new restrictions on responsible citizens.
Letting local governments pass their own gun control
The State and Local Government Committee heard Senate File 2320, which would allow local governments to restrict firearms, ammunition, and related items on ANY property they own or lease.
Minnesota has statewide firearms preemption, meaning cities and towns generally can't pass their own gun laws. This bill is a direct end-run around those laws. It’s very broad, and it explicitly overrides our permit-to-carry statutes.
More gun control on college campuses
The Higher Education Committee heard Senate File 4589, which would allow public colleges to prohibit lawful visitors from carrying firearms on campus. Current law already allows restrictions on employees and students.
As we know, the only people who abide by gun free zones are people with the intent to harm. If anyone needed more confirmation, they could get it from the diary of the Annunciation murderer. These killers are afraid of “good guys with a guns”; taking away that deterrent makes us all less safe.
This may sound like a small change, but rights are rarely taken all at once. More often they are chipped away piece by piece.
A wave of gun control bills in Senate Judiciary
The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee also heard a large package of firearm bills, showing a continued push toward expanding restrictions.
Some of the proposals included:
- SF 3655– A ban on many commonly owned semi-automatic firearms and standard capacity magazines
- SF 3631– Prohibiting lawful carry at the State Capitol complex
- SF 3572– Removing local flexibility regarding lawful carry on school property
- SF 513– Creating a new Office of Gun Violence Prevention
- SF 1580– Expanding state funding for gun policy research
Taken together, these bills reflect a philosophy that more restrictions on law-abiding citizens will somehow stop criminals. Minnesotans know better.
Criminals do not follow gun laws. Law-abiding citizens do.
We also know those intent on doing harm often seek out places where they expect no resistance. Weakening the ability of responsible citizens to protect themselves does not make Minnesota safer.
Where I stand
I was elected to be a voice for the people of District 6, not special interests, not activists, and not bureaucrats.
That means:
- Defending rural Minnesota
- Protecting outdoor traditions
- Standing up for constitutional rights
- Pushing back against government overreach
You can count on me to continue standing firm on those principles.