Comparison of gun bills in Minnesota Legislature

By Minnesota Public Radio
April 9, 2013

	HOUSE BILL 285	SENATE BILL 235	SENATE BILL 458
	House Bill 285 replaces HF237, a bill authored by Rep. Michael Paymar (DFL-St. Paul) that proposed universal background checks. That bill did not make it out of the public safety committee. Read bill summary Read a news story about this bill	Companion to House Bill HF285 and contains similar language. Read bill summary	Also known as the "omnibus" gun bill, Senate Bill 458 is more extensive than Senate Bill 235 and House Bill 285. Read bill summary

SPONSOR	Rep. John Lesch (DFL-St. Paul)	Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park)	Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park)
BACKGROUND CHECKS and OWNERSHIP	• Seeks to close gaps in the National Instant Background Check System (NICS) by making the reporting process faster. • Requires that records be made available in electronic format. • Increases the list of offenses that disqualify people from being able to legally possess firearms.	• Seeks to close gaps in the National Instant Background Check System by making the reporting process faster. • Requires records be made available in electronic format. • Adds to list of offenses that disqualify people from being able to legally possess firearms. • Additional provisions to keep guns out of the hands of people who have undergone a civil commitment or other court proceeding, such as a measure to require the court to notify NICS whenever it places a juvenile or adult into a pretrial diversion program and report the expiration date of the program.	• Makes it harder for a person convicted of a violent crime to regain the ability to possess firearms. • The background check provision in Senate Bill 458 is more extensive than the House Bill 285.
SALES	• Amended to include a background check requirement for private sales of handguns and semi-automatic military-style assault weapons (SAMSAWs) at gun shows. Does not require a new background check. Instead, the bill requires buyers from a private seller at a gun show to produce a state-issued permit to purchase or a handgun carry permit. A person with either of these documents has already passed a background check.	TBD	• Private sales of handguns or SAMSAWs must be conducted by a federally licensed firearms dealer. The dealer may charge a fee of up to $25 to conduct the background check and complete the transfer. There is an exception for people closely related through blood or marriage.
PRESCRIBES	• A definition of ammunition. • That people prohibited from possessing firearms are also prohibited from possessing ammunition.	TBD	• A definition of ammunition. • That people prohibited from possessing firearms are also prohibited from possessing ammunition.
PUNITIVE	• Calls for tougher penalties for people who provide guns to people who are legally prohibited from having them, ie. strawman purchases.	TBD	• Adds tougher penalties for people who provide guns for ineligible persons. Adds tougher penalties for people who report a stolen firearm to law enforcement, knowing the report is false.
CONDITIONAL	N/A	• Certain provisions in the bill will require funding, such as gathering and digitizing records that will be submitted to NICS.	N/A
STATUS	• Awaiting action on the House floor.	• Headed for consideration by the Senate Finance Committee.	•Currently being considered in the Senate Rules and Administration Committee. • Sen. Latz said that the version of this bill that makes it to the Senate floor will likely be amended by legislators who authored other gun-related bills that stalled in committee.