Walz, legislative leaders deadlocked on gun special session; another meeting Friday
Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders remain deadlocked over whether to convene a gun-focused special session after talks produced no agreement, with leaders set to meet again Friday; the DFL is pushing a ban on new sales of assault weapons and highâcapacity magazines while GOP leaders say there aren't enough votes and favor school security and mentalâhealth measures. Walz has shifted to public outreach â scheduling town halls (including events with Gabby Giffords and victimsâ families) and even suggesting a constitutional amendment â as a bipartisan Senate workgroupâs hearings have stalled amid partisan disputes and some moderate lawmakers reassess their positions.
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đ Key Facts
- Gov. Tim Walz and bipartisan legislative leaders remain deadlocked over whether to convene a gun-focused special session; Walz said Thursdayâs meeting produced no agreement and leaders planned to meet again Friday to continue talks.
- DFL leaders are centering their push on banning new sales of assaultâstyle/militaryâstyle weapons and highâcapacity magazines and have proposed accompanying measures: mandatory registration for existing owners, prohibiting transfers, surrendering unwanted guns to the Minnesota BCA, and carve-outs for law enforcement, the military and dealers; lawmakers are also advancing expanded mentalâhealth services and funding for a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
- House GOP leaders dispute Walzâs characterization that they âwonât budge,â saying DFLers have not produced bill language and arguing there arenât enough votes for a ban; Republicans prefer focusing on school security and mentalâhealth interventions, highlighting the stalemate ahead of any special session.
- Legislative workgroup hearings have grown contentious and largely stalled amid partisan disagreements â including a tense safeâstorage debate â while parents of the Annunciation shooting victims and first responders gave emotional testimony about trauma and injuries.
- Some moderate DFL senators were identified as potential opponents to parts of the DFL package (including Rob Kupec and Grant Hauschild), but swingâdistrict Sen. Judy Seeberger has publicly shifted to support full bans on assaultâstyle weapons and highâcapacity magazines and is appearing with Walz at town halls.
- Walz is shifting to public outreach while negotiations stall: heâs scheduling and headlining town halls (Waconia, Stillwater and others), hosting events with gunâviolence prevention advocates such as Gabby Giffords, and has floated putting a constitutional amendment to ban assault rifles on the ballot â a move experts say would be difficult to pass in a divided Legislature and could face federal legal challenges under recent Supreme Court Second Amendment precedent.
- Opponents, including Rob Doar of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, argue bans would be ineffective (citing DOJ analysis of the 1994 federal AWB), emphasize prioritizing mentalâhealth interventions, and note practical hurdles such as shortages of beds for civil commitments.
đ Contextual Background
- Members of the Minnesota Medical Association held a news conference at the Minnesota State Capitol calling for a special legislative session to address gun violence following the Annunciation Church and School mass shooting in Minneapolis.
đ° Sources (10)
How one Minnesota swing-district Democrat decided to support an assault-style weapons ban
New information:
- DFL Sen. Judy Seeberger (Afton), a swingâdistrict moderate who had been undecided, now says she supports full bans on assaultâstyle weapons and highâcapacity magazines.
- Seeberger stated she will vote âyes on anything and everythingâ that will reduce gun violence.
- She is appearing with Gov. Tim Walz at a gunâviolenceâprevention town hall in Stillwater on Monday.
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords pushes for action on gun laws in Minnesota
New information:
- Details of a DFL-hosted gun-violence prevention town hall at Waconia High School featuring Gabby Giffords and Gov. Tim Walz
- Walz publicly reiterated willingness to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot on gun policy
- Dr. Tim Kummer, first physician at the Annunciation shooting, described severity of injuries to a 12-year-old victim and rifle damage
- DFL House Leader Zach Stephenson called for comprehensive prevention, including removing 'weapons of war' and addressing mental health/school safety
- House Speaker Lisa Demuth criticized the event as a campaign-style rally and not truly open to the public; DFL said town halls are open and scheduled the next one for Rochester on Nov. 6
Walz to headline town hall in Waconia on gun violence
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz will headline a town hall in Waconia focused on gun violence.
- The event adds a specific metro stop to the governorâs series of public town halls amid the specialâsession stalemate.
Walz says heâll hold town halls on guns without agreement on special session
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz says he will hold town halls on guns despite no agreement with legislative leaders on convening a special session.
- The announcement signals a shift to public outreach as negotiations remain deadlocked.
Gov. Walz suggests constitutional amendment to address gun violence
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz floated pursuing a Minnesota constitutional amendment to ban the sale and possession of assault rifles during remarks at the MinnPost Festival in Minneapolis.
- Constitutional law expert David Schultz detailed the amendment process (majority votes in both chambers; majority of all voters statewide with nonâvotes counting as no) and said passage is unlikely given the divided Legislature.
- Schultz also noted a constitutional amendment banning assault weapons could face federal challenges under recent U.S. Supreme Court Second Amendment jurisprudence.
- Walz has said he plans to call a special session on gun control; no date set.
Gun control special session stuck on runway, hereâs why
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz met with bipartisan legislative leaders on Thursday but reported no agreement on a gun-focused special session; leaders will meet again Friday.
- DFL push centers on a ban on new sales of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; Walz says a House and Senate majority may support a vote.
- House Speaker Lisa Demuth says DFLers have not presented bill language and asserts there arenât enough votes for a ban; GOP prefers focusing on school security and mental health.
- Specific DFL senators (Rob Kupec, Grant Hauschild, Judy Seeberger) are cited as potential opponents on some new gun measures.
- House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson emphasized the issueâs urgency with personal context and called for votes to test support.
Gov. Walz: GOP wonât budge on gun control; House speaker calls it âmischaracterizationâ
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz said Republicans "wonât budge" on DFL-backed gun-control measures during ongoing negotiations.
- House Speaker Lisa Demuth rejected Walzâs characterization, calling it a âmischaracterizationâ and asserting the GOP has engaged in talks.
- The exchange underscores continued stalemate over possible gun-safety legislation ahead of any special session.
Partisan fighting stymies Minnesota Senate's meeting on gun violence
New information:
- The workgroup held a second hearing on Wednesday, where progress stalled amid partisan disagreements.
- Chair Sen. Ron Latz said GOP members failed to bring proposals despite his requests since Sept. 9 and repeatedly gauged support that lacked Republican backing.
- Debate over safe-storage policy grew tense; Sen. Keri Heintzeman defended GOP approaches, while Sen. Zaynab Mohamed questioned GOP motives and Sen. Eric Lucero alleged a decorum violation.
- Lawmakers revisited proposals from Monday including an assault-weapon ban, expanded mental-health services, and funding a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
DFL lawmakers propose assault weapons, high-capacity magazines bans
New information:
- Sen. Zaynab Mohamed proposed a bill to ban military-style assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, .50-caliber or larger firearms, and undetectable firearms.
- Existing owners would be required to register these firearms; transfers would be prohibited; unwanted firearms must be surrendered to the Minnesota BCA; exceptions for law enforcement, military, and dealers.
- Parents of Annunciation shooting victims urged action in testimony, providing specific quotes about trauma and school safety.
- Rob Doar of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus opposed the bans, citing a DOJ study on the 1994 federal AWB, emphasizing mental health interventions, and noting bed shortages for civil commitments.
- Lawmakers also reviewed additional proposals addressing mental health at the hearing.