We also have worked with mental health professionals on mechanisms to allow individuals who are going through a mental crisis to voluntarily surrender their firearms while they're seeking help in a safe way. That is the number one way that criminals acquire their firearms is through black market transactions and getting people who they know will pass a background check to go and buy one for them.Ī couple of years ago, the last time these bills were up at the legislature, then Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said that the reason they don't prosecute those is because the penalty is too low, so that seems like a really simple thing that we can all agree on. ROB DOAR: Well, one thing that we've been firm advocates for that we're still working on is having stronger prosecutions of straw purchasers. What would your caucus be willing to support? Is there any middle ground here on any of these bills?
And we certainly advocate for- we're happy to help address how we can hold the people who we are all worried about accountable for their actions and ensuring that they are not able to get control of firearms.ĬATHY WURZER: As you see, the bills move through the legislature here. We already have mandatory minimums for felon and possession of a firearm or those who use firearms in crimes.īut those are routinely pled away or the sentences are stayed. ROB DOAR: Yeah, I think that is a big problem we see repeatedly, that these individuals responsible for the majority of firearm violence are already prohibited persons and in many instances have had their convictions stayed. Should pressure be placed on judges and prosecutors to charge gun crimes instead of swallowing the gun charge as part of a plea bargain? But these bills only focus on adding additional hurdles for law-abiding citizens to go through.ĬATHY WURZER: Instead of implementing new laws, I wonder what you think of this. We've worked with people on both sides of the aisle actually addressing individuals in crisis and addressing criminal use of firearms. We work all the time on firearm safety legislation, suicide reduction efforts. They only add hurdles to law-abiding citizens. We just address the bills that are in front of us, and the main issue is that bills that are in front of us- they don't do anything to address the issues that people are actually concerned about. ROB DOAR: We don't really engage in the slippery slope argument. Is some of your concern that any gun control bill begins kind of a slippery slope to more control? There's a raft of them, and I'm wondering. Some of the states saw a brief interruption in firearm suicide rates, but the rates over time have climbed to prior their red flag law levels.ĬATHY WURZER: Let's talk a little bit more about some of the other bills that are up before the legislature. Every single one of them, suicide rates have continued to rise. ROB DOAR: They're actually- if you look at the state, there's not a single state that has passed red flag laws that have seen a reduction in suicide rates. And we just think that's a flawed premise.ĬATHY WURZER: There are 19 states who have such red flag laws, and research shows those laws work to protect those who want to harm themselves. They just operate under the assumption that once the firearms are gone, everything's OK. ROB DOAR: Well, the red flag law- the biggest issue with it is it's got this provision in it which is an ex parte process where just based on an accusation from a fairly wide array of people, including former spouses, roommates, or a mental health professional- can get a secret court order to go and have somebody's firearm seized.Īnd they don't actually do anything about the purported person in crisis. What's your concerns about a red flag law? Let's talk about that red flag bill that's up before the legislature. Thanks for joining us.ĬATHY WURZER: I'm going to talk to- with any luck here- State Representative Cedrick Frazier, the chief author of the red flag bill in the House here in a couple of minutes after you and I talk. Rob Doar, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus- he's on the line live from the Capitol. Right now, there are others who are concerned about the scale and scope of those bills, including gun rights advocates. We'll talk to one of the bill's sponsors coming up here in a few minutes. CATHY WURZER: And one of our top stories, there'll be a rally today at the State Capitol of people who want to see several gun control bills passed this session.
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