ST. PAUL – State Representative Marj Fogelman (R-Fulda) said the gun debate has once again made headlines at the State Capitol, as the House majority has proposed to decrease penalties and eliminate laws for criminals who commit crimes with guns, while at the same time seeks new laws that penalize law abiding gun owners.
“Their priorities of punishing the law abiding while trying to help criminals go free are difficult to understand,” Fogelman said.
Last year, Democrats – who control both bodies of the legislature and the governor’s office - enacted “universal” background checks and red flag confiscation orders. Now, Fogelman said they have proposed legislation that establishes an arbitrary deadline for reporting lost and stolen firearms and a bill that makes changes to how firearms must be stored in the home.
“Though these proposals were brought forward in response to the tragedy in Burnsville, these bills would have done nothing to prevent that murderer from attacking emergency personnel,” Fogelman said.
At the same time, Fogelman noted that the House majority has introduced a bill that would eliminate the current mandatory minimum prison sentences for crimes committed while using a gun.
Last week, House Republicans attempted to debate a bill that would increase penalties for straw purchasers - someone who legally purchases a gun and then knowingly gives it to another person who is prohibited by law from owning a gun, but the House majority rejected it.
“We cannot infringe on the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, and we should be forcing serious punishments on those who commit a gun crime, and not letting them off the hook,” Fogelman concluded.