The Minneapolis City Council is teeing up a high-stakes vote Thursday on a firearm regulations ordinance that would, if state law ever allows it, ban assault-style weapons, high-capacity magazines and untraceable "ghost" guns. Council chambers at City Hall are expected to fill with public comment before a roll-call vote caps months of committee wrangling.
What the ordinance would do
The proposal, formally listed as Firearm regulations ordinance (2026-00202), would amend Title 15, Chapter 393 and layer on new rules for firearm components, possession, storage and use, according to the city's legislative calendar. City of Minneapolis. The Ward 1 Council office has outlined a draft that would ban assault weapons, large-capacity magazines, binary triggers and ghost guns, and would require serial numbers on firearms. City of Minneapolis.
Enforceability and legal hurdles
There is a big catch. Minnesota law currently reserves firearms regulation to the state, which means local bans can sit on the books without real effect unless the Legislature changes the rules. The statute is blunt: "The legislature preempts all authority ... to regulate firearms," according to Minnesota Statute 471.633. Minnesota Revisor. When St. Paul passed a similar ordinance, it was widely described as largely symbolic for the same reason and drew an immediate legal challenge. The Star Tribune.
Why the council is acting now
The timing is no accident. The municipal push follows the Minnesota Senate's May 4 approval of a broad gun-safety package that includes a ban on future sales of assault weapons and tougher firearm storage rules, changes that, if ultimately enacted, could determine whether local ordinances like Minneapolis' ever spring to life. Axios. The council's public calendar shows the full body is scheduled to take up the ordinance during its regular meeting Thursday in Room 380 of City Hall at 350 S. 5th St. in downtown Minneapolis. City of Minneapolis.
What to expect at the meeting
City Hall should brace for a packed microphone and a clear political split. Supporters argue that a local ordinance sends a message of urgency and readiness to act if state law shifts. Opponents counter that passing rules that state law currently blocks is an invitation to costly litigation and public confusion. Similar measures around the Twin Cities have already sparked fast pushback from gun-rights groups and court fights in St. Paul and beyond. The Star Tribune.
