Dear Neighbors:
The 2018 legislative session began last Tuesday. Several issues like bonding for infrastructure improvements, conforming our state tax laws to the new federal changes, and several other important issues will get considerable attention this session. Currently however the issue that is dominating is the issue of gun violence and public safety. While I’m deeply saddened by the increasing occurrence of mass shootings, I have been energized by the thousands of students here in Minneapolis and across the country who are getting ready to take on Washington with the “March for Our Lives”. I have hope that this movement will be the change we need to motivate all Americans to push for common-sense gun violence prevention laws.
Protect Minnesota Rally
Last Thursday I joined legislators and Minnesotans from every corner of the state at a rally in the Capitol rotunda. The size and energy of the crowd was remarkable. I spoke briefly at the rally to protest gun violence in our communities (my comments begin around the 57:30 mark). Over the last several decades the gun industry has successfully moved the debate sharply to an understanding of the Second Amendment that is extreme and not in line with our historical understanding of the amendment. Many common-sense gun violence prevention bills were introduced in the House last year, but House Republicans refused to give any of them a hearing.
In a surprising development, my St. Paul colleague Representative Dave Pinto has tapped a little used House rule to force a committee hearing and vote on two bills tomorrow. The two bills are:
- HF 1669, which would require criminal background checks for all gun sales, closing the current loophole in state law, and
- HF 1605 which would allow law enforcement and family members to seek a restraining order to keep guns out of the hands of those who have shown that they are a significant danger to others or themselves. A gun violence protective order (GVPO) may well have prevented the recent shooting in Florida.
I’m anticipating a great deal of both supporters and especially opponents at tomorrow’s hearing at 10:15 a.m. in Room 120 of the State Capitol. Given the current majority of the legislature I do not anticipate either of these bills to pass this year. I’d certainly like to be wrong. I would hope that we could all agree that the first responsibility of government is to keep people safe and that action is required on gun safety to do that. I suspect that changes via the election this fall will need to happen before we see changes on public safety initiatives.
Criminal background checks and gun violence protective orders are important, and so is collecting useful, scientific data on gun violence. I’ve co-authored HF 2891, which would allow the Minnesota Department of Health to collect firearm ownership information so that we can better understand the health reasons that drive someone to commit a crime like a mass shooting or domestic violence with a gun. These bills are just the beginning of what we should be doing.
We also need to make sure we’re supporting the social-emotional learning of our students (especially our young men), we need an adequate number of school counselors in our Minnesota schools, and we need to provide access to mental health resources for students who are clearly struggling. I will continue to push for meaningful progress on preventing gun violence, and I will continue to fight to make our families and communities safer.
February Budget Forecast Released
Today, Minnesota Management and Budget released the February Economic Forecast, revealing a modest $329 million surplus, and advising caution with economic uncertainty into the future.
It is a positive sign that our state budget remains relatively stable, even with the federal uncertainty from the Trump tax plan and other changes that threaten the economic outlook for families in the future. We should continue to exercise caution, and prioritize responsible investments that increase opportunity for all Minnesotans, not just corporations and the wealthy.
I welcome your questions and feedback, and encourage you to reply to this email or contact me at 651-296-0173.
Sincerely,
Jim Davnie