Committee approves no firearm notification for Capitol Complex visitors

People who have a permit to carry a pistol must now notify the Department of Public Safety if they will be armed when visiting the Capitol Complex. If not, they could be charged with a felony.

A bill to change that is headed to the House Floor.

Sponsored by Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia), HF372 would say that having the permit is enough when visiting the Capitol and other state buildings. It was approved Thursday by the House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee. A companion, SF953, sponsored by Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria), awaits action by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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“It is my assertion that it is redundant and does not provide any additional security, does not provide any additional actionable items for people who have to provide security here on the Capitol grounds,” Nash said. “We would like to assert that the successful issuance of a permit to carry is now going to constitute notification to carry here on the Capitol grounds.”

There is no signage informing visitors of the law, which Nash said creates a potential “gotcha moment” if someone unknowingly has their firearm when entering the Capitol Complex. Notification is good for life.

Andrew Rothman, president of the Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, said current law has been in place since 1994 and there have been zero cases of carry permit holders causing trouble at the Capitol. He said approximately 190,000 Minnesotans have a permit to carry.

“It’s pretty clear that [current law] doesn’t provide any actual safety mechanism; it’s just a piece of paperwork whose time has gone,” he said.

Opponents argued that having loaded guns in public places doesn’t make anyone safer.

“I see no reason for anyone to carry a gun here where the people’s business is conducted,” said Joan Peterson, president of Protect Minnesota. “We can all have reasonable discussions and agree civilly to disagree on some issues. I really see no danger here. There are those, however, that have bad intent who may disagree with some of your decisions that could be carrying a gun around here and we would not know if they are a legal permit-holder or not. As we saw in New Hope, people disgruntled about politics can become violent. This is why we should be more vigilant about guns at the Capitol, not less.”

In the January 2015 New Hope case, a man shot two officers outside the city council chambers before he was killed by police.

“To exercise our civil liberties is not about fear,” said Rep. Eric Lucero (R-Dayton). “It’s because it is about our God-given right.”

Committee Chair Rep. Tony Cornish (R-Vernon Center), who spent 32 years in law enforcement, noted that officers are not always around and carrying a personal weapon is another way for him to feel safe.

“I’m not about to turn over responsibility for my own personal safety to a cop. I’m sorry. They can’t be everywhere and I have no problem with many armed people at the Capitol.”