Minnesota Republicans looking to limit gender affirming care, bolster private school security in possible special session
In the aftermath of the Annunciation shooting, Gov. Tim Walz has announced he will call a special session of the legislature to deal with gun violence. While his proposals would include an assault weapons ban, Republicans have a different agenda.
The governor's proposals include a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazine clips, a safe storage law, liability insurance, and a tougher red flag law — but the odds of passage in the divided legislature will be very tough.
In 2023, when the DFL had its trifecta, Democratic leaders were so concerned they didn't have the support, that a proposed assault weapons ban never came up for a vote.
Walz says this time he will need Republican legislators to side with him.
"Republicans that I have been talking to, that I have heard from, are focused on things that are politically feasible, that are going to work," Minnesota House Floor Leader Harry Niska said.
Republicans have different proposals. They want to give doctors more authority to deny gender affirming care, as well as security funding for private schools, more school resource officers in every school, tougher penalties for repeat gun offenders and more money for mental health beds.
The opposition to an assault weapons ban reflects a deep urban-rural divide. A 2022 MinnPost poll found that 54% of those surveyed support an assault weapons ban. While 69% of urban residents support a ban, 51% of rural residents oppose a ban.
"We passed a red flag law. It was passed in 2023 and it was supposed to deal with a situation like this," Niska said. "So I hope everyone is asking serious questions about why — why did this incident not trigger either a background check flag or a red flag?"
Complicating the issue is that nine big city mayors, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Minnetonka and Stillwater, want the legislature to let them pass their own city-wide assault weapons and high capacity clip bans. But that would take legislative approval — another issue to be taken up in the special session.
The governor has not set a date yet for that session, but is set to meet with legislative leaders on Tuesday.
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