Minnesota Senate approves ban on assault-style guns, high-capacity magazines

Key Points:

• The Minnesota Senate voted 34-33 along party lines to approve a ban on assault-style guns and high-capacity magazines, marking the first time such restrictions have passed in the Senate.
• The omnibus bill also includes funding for school safety and mental health programs, but must still be approved by the Minnesota House before reaching Governor Tim Walz’s desk, where its future is uncertain due to a split chamber.
• Democrats praised the bill as a comprehensive measure to save lives and address gun violence, citing recent tragic events such as the attack at Annunciation Church School.
• Republicans criticized the bill as extreme gun control, accusing Democrats of prioritizing political agendas over student safety and rejecting a bipartisan approach to school safety and mental health funding.
• Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy emphasized the bill’s layered approach to preventing gun violence, while Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson called for a focus on bipartisan solutions rather than partisan measures.