House Public Safety Committee Debates Gun Control Measures Friday

(KNSI) — Gun control is on the docket today for the Minnesota House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee.

Among the items up for discussion are the following:

House File 396, which would require a locking device be required for each firearm transfer and safe storage of guns and ammunition and criminal penalties for violators.
House File 14 requiring criminal background checks for firearm transfers and grounds modified for disqualification of transferee permit.
House File 15 deals with the so-called “Red Flag Law,” which allows police or a family member to petition the court to prevent people from owning a gun if they are deemed a danger to themselves or others.

In December, a judge in New York struck down that state’s red flag law, saying it was unconstitutional.

A press release says the bills are “meant to prevent gun violence and increase gun safety.”

House District 30B Representative Paul Novotny is the ranking Republican on that committee. He is a retired Sherburne County deputy sheriff.

A new study by Harvard Public Health shows that 80% of those who die by suicide use a gun and make up the majority of gun deaths in the U.S. Researchers say that fact gets lost in public debate about gun laws. Access to a firearm is considered a risk factor for suicide according to researchers and while creating stricter gun laws is always kicked around after a mass shooting, the study shows limiting access to them could also bring a drop in the number of suicides.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Veterans can call that number and press 1.

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