In a step forward for gun control advocates, Minnesota has sharpened its legal tools to address gun violence with new legislation signed into law yesterday. Senator Heather Gustafson (DFL – Vadnais Heights) was present alongside Governor Tim Walz at the Saint Paul Police Department for the ceremonial signing of a bill aimed at ramping up penalties for straw purchases of firearms and outlawing binary triggers, according to Minnesota Senate DFL.
The updated statute now classifies straw purchases—where someone buys a firearm to pass to an individual who is barred from owning one—as a felony, expanding the punishment that was previously categorized as a gross misdemeanor, and the legislation does not limit its reach to just semi-automatic military-style arms or pistols anymore, it includes all firearms and each firearm, which illustrates a comprehensive approach to gun control.
Particularly noteworthy is the prohibition of binary triggers, deemed "trigger activators" under the law. These devices allow a gun to fire twice, both when the trigger is pulled and released, and were used in the tragic Burnsville shooting earlier in the year claiming the lives of two officers and a firefighter-paramedic, as per the Minnesota Senate DFL. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Chiefs of Police Association have shown their support for the ban on these dangerous modifications.
"With this law, we take another step forward in keeping our communities, law enforcement, and first responders safe," Sen. Gustafson stated, emphasizing the shared objective across Minnesota to prevent the wrong individuals from acquiring firearms, this bipartisan initiative marks a stride for community safety, for healing injured families and protecting those who put their lives on the line for public security," as stated in the Minnesota Senate DFL.
