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No firearm for you

Published (3/20/2009)
By Mike Cook
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State statute prohibits a person convicted of one of approximately three-dozen felonious crimes from owning a firearm.

The state’s “crime of violence” list includes felonious murder, criminal sexual conduct, certain manslaughter or assaults, arson, simple robbery and burglary.

Under current law, a person convicted of such violent crimes may not possess a firearm, else they could get up to 15 years behind bars.

Rep. John Lesch (DFL-St. Paul) would like to add felony domestic assault and assault by strangulation to the group.

Sponsored by Lesch, HF1199 was approved March 13 by the House Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division, and sent to the House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee. A companion, SF994, sponsored by Sen. Mee Moua (DFL-St. Paul), awaits action by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“As we see those in relation to the other crimes of violence listed, they’re not nearly as clear,” Tom Adkins, director of Washington County Community Corrections, who was speaking on behalf of the Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act Counties.

“Right now, we deal with who can possess a firearm issues that are both state as well as federal. Those laws are complicated, and this would simplify that language and make it much clearer for us as we proceed.”

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