Posted on 02/05/2013 1:14:04 PM PST by marktwain
ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) -
Minnesota lawmakers opened debate on a handful of gun control proposals Tuesday at the State Capitol.
The House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee will look at expanding background checks, banning military-style weapons, a limit on magazine capacities and allowing school workers to carry weapons.
A huge crowd gathered outside the House hearing room, which forced some spectators into an overflow room.
WHAT THEY"RE SAYING...
"My father lived the American dream but died the American nightmare." - Sami Rahamim, son of Accent Signage Systems founder Reuven Rahamim
"An egregious violation of the Second Amendment." - Rep. Jim Newberger (R-Becker), a paramedic, speaking about a proposed bill on tighter gun background checks
WHAT'S NEXT?
The committee chairman hopes the three days of hearings will help craft a larger gun violence prevention bill in Minnesota. No votes on specific gun proposals are planned at the Capitol this week.
Gov. Mark Dayton says any changes to the state's gun laws will need support from rural Minnesota lawmakers to earn his endorsement and signature.
It's clear that the issue of Minnesota's gun laws is divided not down party lines as much as rural vs outstate culture.
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxtwincities.com ...
Will Minnesotan's rally to uphold and restore the Constitution, or grant President Obama even more power?
HOW ABOUT THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS NOT UP FOR A VOTE!
What the oh so witty and urbane call the 'hicks from the sticks', when they aren't calling us "Hicks from the sticks". Apparently, those who choose not to live in urban hives for all the "benefits" of traffic, lines, dirt, and crime, just aren't as intelligent as their urban cousins.
Maybe the city folks have been watching too much "Honey Boo Boo" (rolls eyes).
If they screw with the gun laws here the Republicans will be ignited and united like never before.
It's as I described in your earlier thread. There are, in essence, two Minnesotas -- the seven county Twin Cities metro area and the rest of the state.
The Republican Party is very strong outstate, but there are also a number of Democrats who represent hunters, fishermen and outdoor types. These people vote Democrat because they're conditioned to, but they like their guns and even think traditionally from time to time.
Without those votes, gun-grabbing has no chance in the Legislature and Dayton knows it.
What part of ‘shall not be infringed.’ do they not understand?.....................
The only “culture of violence” here is the culture of leftists to destroy the Constitution as much as they can, and to co-opt what remains.
Moron reporter (not a Minnesotan) didn’t understand the terminology he was using. The sentence should have said ‘metro area vs. outstate culture...’
“Outstate” is how denizens of the metro area of Minneapolis-St. Paul refer to the rest of the state outside of the metro area.
Something like half or more of the population of Minnesota lives in the ‘metro area’.
So, I guess the inhabitants of Lake Wobegon satirized by Garrison Keillor for all those years in Prairie Home Companion were outstaters.
Hmm...here in South Carolina “outstater” would describe the jerk with New York license plates who cuts people off in traffic, calls locals `rednecks’ & `racists’, then admits he moved here for the lower cost of living but still can’t find a decent Starbucks.
“Outstate” is how denizens of the metro area of Minneapolis-St. Paul refer to the rest of the state outside of the metro area.
It is a euphemism, along with “greater Minnesota” and rural Minnesota, which is everything that is not Minneapolis or St. Paul or some town touching them on a map.
I’m at the wrightcountyteaparty.org meeting with the Wright County sheriff Joe Hagerty. The meeting has over 100 concerned people at it. I should make up FreeRepublic business cards to hand out next time.
HF 237
Right now, a permit to carry acts as a 5 year “permit to purchase” for the transfer of firearms. If this bill becomes law, you will need to get a permit to purchase every 12 months, on top of your permit to carry. This is an unnecessary redundancy, as MN sheriffs must check the validity of your carry permit annually.
This bill intends to allow the government to know who, what, where, and when you transfer a firearm to another party by requiring you to process all transfers through a FFL federal dealer. The government will keep track of all sales, transfers, loans, and gifts outside of immediate family. Not only does this bill mandate that you involve a 3rd party in your private transaction, the government will have a say in the fees that are charged in a private transaction.
Also, why is the SERIAL NUMBER and MODEL NUMBER needed for a background check? It seems to me that you should ONLY check the person and be done with it. Nothing is gained with serial and model numbers, UNLESS someone is trying to build up a database for later confiscation? (which our government denies they want to do)
Another concern is a removal of due process for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled.
In current MN law to lose your firearm rights, a judge has to commit you to a treatment facility, or declare you unfit.
If this bill were to become law, the opinion of any medical professional or mental health worker could remove the right of self-defense from anyone they deem to have a mental or developmental disability, completely circumventing
standards and precedent established by the courts.
The bill will even eliminate the rights of people put on a 72-hour hold to only determine IF they have a mental health issue, regardless of the outcome. It may also discourage people from seeking the treatment they need in order to prevent losing their gun rights.
We support taking measures to limit the access of the mentally ill to firearms, BUT those measures must be done within due process of the law, and respect to fundamental rights of free citizens.
HF0240 – “Prove You’re Sane” and Rights Removed.
(Rep. Schoen)
This bill gives Police and Sheriffs additional power, with no accountability when processing your permit to carry, or permit to purchase, and weakens your ability to appeal a denial. Also, one thing they are hoping you won’t notice, it denies non-residents the right to carry in Minnesota.
“PROVE YOU’RE SANE”
Current MN law allows a Sheriff or Police chief to deny your permit application if he believes “that there exists a substantial likelihood that the applicant is a danger to self, or the public.
This bill lowers the threshold required for a Sheriff or Police Chief to deny the permit from “substantial likelihood” to “likelihood”. While that seems like a minor adjustment, it can pose significant problems for someone attempting to appeal a wrongful denial.
What is far more shocking, this bill will give law enforcement the ability to require you to obtain a letter from a state licensed primary care physician or state certified mental health professional before they process your application.
Amazingly, after this embarrassing harassment, once you’ve provided the letter they are under no obligation to take it into consideration.
Currently, if you are wrongfully denied, you can appeal the decision to the district court.
However, this bill significantly lowers your ability to successfully appeal an improper denial by lowering the threshold of the evidence required to deny your rights.
Currently, if there is “clear and convincing evidence” that you pose a danger to self or others, your permit appeal can be denied.
This bill seeks to significantly lower the threshold to “a preponderance of the evidence”. This means that if in the eyes of the court there is a slight chance you pose a danger to self or others, your appeal can be denied, sticking you with legal fees and a loss of your rights.
“NON RESIDENTS RIGHTS DENIED”
In order to carry in Minnesota, even non-residents have to take a carry class from a state-approved instructor, and follow the EXACT same process as a resident. Even though these people have been going through the exact same class, have needed to meet the exact same criteria, and go through the exact same application process, this bill assaults the rights of people who work in, visit, and pass through Minnesota with absolutely no cause.
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