Dear Neighbors,
The legislative session began on Tuesday and our to-do list is long. I’m looking forward to working on important policies that improve access to affordable workforce housing and quality healthcare, invest in our E-12 and college students and increase economic prosperity for hardworking families. We face another uphill battle with the Republican Majority in control of the legislature; despite this, I’ll keep fighting for our community and to protect our state’s core values.
Gun Violence and Safety
Mass shootings like the most recent one in Parkland, Florida have become the new normal in our country (and only our country). This is unacceptable. The senseless gun violence epidemic is spreading rapidly across the nation; now is the time for political courage in Minnesota.
Three bills have been introduced that I’m co-sponsoring: HF 1669 requires criminal background checks to be conducted before purchasing a firearm. Making this a requirement would help to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and domestic abusers.
HF 1605 would allow law enforcement and family members to keep guns out of the hands of those who have court-issued protective orders and are a significant danger to others or themselves.
HF 2781 bans "bump stocks," which modify semiautomatic rifles allowing them to mimic a fully automatic weapon.
These are common-sense gun safety measures we can work on together to make our families, communities, and Minnesota safer. I hope the Republican Majority will, at the very least, allow committees to hear the bills and open them up for discussion.
Protect Minnesota held their advocacy day at the Capitol today to share their stories and support for common-sense gun violence prevention measures. I was honored to have the opportunity to attend at their rally and to meet with several constituents from Minneapolis; thank you for making your voice heard.
Finally, I’d like to thank everyone who braved the weather Monday evening to attend the SD 59 Town Hall Meeting. It was great to see such a large turnout; I appreciated the questions, feedback and overall community engagement.
Please stay in touch as we prepare for these fast-paced weeks ahead. I appreciate your input and ideas.
Sincerely,
Raymond Dehn
State Representative