ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded the announcement of bipartisan legislation that would require crimibackground checks on all Minnesota gun sales and require gun owners to report when guns are lost or stolen. The introduction of the legislation, sponsored by Sen. Matt Little (DFL-Lakeville), Sen. Scott Jensen (R-Chaska), Sen. Paul Anderson (R-Plymouth) and Sen. Susan Kent (DFL-Woodbury), was announced at a press conference this morning.
Federal law requires licensed gun dealers to conduct criminal background checks on gun sales, but there is no federal background check requirement for unlicensed sales, including sales initiated online and sales made at gun shows. While a number of states have passed background check requirements to address this loophole, Minnesota has not. In states that require background checks on all handgun sales, there are 53 percent fewer law enforcement officers killed with firearms in the line of duty, 47 percent fewer women are shot to death by intimate partners and 47 percent fewer firearm suicides.
Laws requiring gun owners to report lost and stolen guns protect public safety and support enforcement of strong background check laws.
STATEMENT FROM ERIN ZAMOFF, VOLUNTEER CHAPTER LEADER WITH THE MINNESOTA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“Today in Minnesota, it’s far too easy to get a gun with no questions asked. This has to change. Wide majorities of Republicans and Democrats support requiring background checks on all gun sales, and we’re thrilled to see lawmakers from both parties standing up for this common-sense public safety measure. We’ll be doing everything we can to make sure our elected officials enact the sensible policies announced today.”
