ST. PAUL, MN – Lawmakers in the Minnesota House of Representatives approved Public Safety bill last night with strong bipartisan support. It passed by a vote of 121 to 12.
With the Senate passing the same bill produced by a conference committee with members from each chamber, it now heads to Governor Dayton’s desk to be signed into law.
The legislation takes responsible steps to strengthen Minnesota’s background check system for firearm purchases without infringing on second amendment rights.
“I heard from lots of people on both sides of the gun control issue throughout this year’s legislative session,” said Rep. Poppe. “The bill we passed strikes a good balance between the concerns people shared with me. It protects gun owners’ second amendment rights while taking responsible steps to improve background checks to help prevent criminals from obtaining firearms.”
The bill improves Minnesota’s background check system by allocating $1.05 million to integrate non-electronic data into the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) computer systems. The provision is designed to bring greater accuracy and completeness to Minnesota’s current background check system. Estimates show the bill will help process over 67,000 cases for people who have been civilly committed.
Rep. Poppe encourages her constituents to contact her with any questions or comments. She can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4193, by email at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn, or by postal mail at 487 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.