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ICYMI: Twin Cities County Attorneys Urge Lawmakers to Reject CCR

2.13.2018

In case you missed it, one week after the Super Bowl, in which the Twin Cities hosted an estimated 125,000 people from all over the country, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi penned an op-ed in The Star Tribune, urging lawmakers to reject the NRA’s number one priority, “concealed carry reciprocity.”

Fortunately, Super Bowl weekend was safe and without any major clashes, in part because of Minnesota’s common sense concealed carry standards. However, if “concealed carry reciprocity” becomes law, large public events like the Super Bowl will become public safety nightmares. “Concealed carry reciprocity” would not create a national standard for who can carry a concealed handgun in public. Instead, it would force every state to accept the concealed carry standards of every other state, even states that have weaker standards, or, worse, no standards at all.

This isn’t hypothetical: Twelve states don’t require a person to even have a concealed carry permit or background check; 19 states don’t require any gun safety training in order to carry a concealed handgun in public; and other states allow many domestic abusers or people convicted of certain violent misdemeanors to carry concealed handguns in public. “Concealed carry reciprocity” would make communities less safe by forcing every state to allow untrained people and people with dangerous histories to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public.

County Attorney Freeman and Choi write:

“A week ago, the Twin Cities welcomed an estimated 125,000 people from across the country to experience all that we had to offer and celebrate an American tradition. Thanks to the Twin Cities, U.S. Bank Stadium, 10,000 volunteers and the work of law enforcement, Super Bowl weekend was safe, with none of the major incidents that can come with a huge influx of visitors.

“One of the biggest events of the year went off without any major clashes in part because of Minnesota’s standards on concealed carry. Our common-sense Minnesota gun laws allowed our police officers to do their jobs and allowed football fans to partake in festivities without fearing for their safety.”

“We are concerned that a dangerous policy proposal now before Congress — known as “concealed carry reciprocity” — would undo the efforts we’ve made to keep the Twin Cities safe and turn future large public events into a public safety nightmare. The legislation would force Minnesota to allow concealed carry by many people who do not meet the standards we require for Minnesotans to carry hidden guns in public.”

“Minnesota ensures that people are trained and screened before they’re able to carry hidden, loaded handguns. A Minnesota citizen must get a permit, which requires safety training and live-fire experience, and we prohibit stalkers, abusive boyfriends and people with convictions for violent behavior from carrying concealed weapons. To ensure the safety of all of us, our law enforcement can also deny concealed carry permits to people with other dangerous red flags in their histories.”

From our nation’s law enforcement community to mayors, opposition to “concealed carry reciprocity” is widespread. In October, a group of seventeen attorneys general released a letter opposing the policy. The National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence, which includes many of the nation’s largest law enforcement organizations, and the bipartisan U.S. Conference of Mayors have also opposed “concealed carry reciprocity.” In November, the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys wrote a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to oppose “concealed carry reciprocity.”

More information about the proposed legislation to gut state gun laws is available here. If you have additional questions about this dangerous legislation, don’t hesitate to reach out.

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