Gun restrictions on domestic abusers, stalkers gain bipartisan support in Minnesota

[SecularMotion]

Minnesota could be on the verge of breakthrough changes in some of its gun laws, as a bipartisan group of lawmakers heads toward passing a bill to end firearm ownership for convicted stalkers and domestic abusers.

Until now, no restriction on gun ownership has been too small to draw the fierce opposition of gun rights groups and their supporters. Just a year ago, a proposal for broader background checks for firearms purchases was crushed at the Capitol despite attempts to weaken the bill enough to get it approved.

This time, a rank-and-file police officer — who also happens to be a DFL House member from St. Paul Park — is leading the effort to take all firearms, including rifles, away from those who stalk or abuse their partners. His careful ­legislative campaign is winning surprising support.

Rep. Dan Schoen said he well knows how contentious gun bills can be at the Capitol. “I have tried to have the conversation in a nonexplosive manner,” Schoen said. “So far, we’ve been able to do it. And I think it is a significant step.”

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/256849681.html

[billh58]

1. This appears to be

a little NRA song-and-dance in the vein of image-cleaning for 2016...

[AtheistCrusader]

3. Tend to agree, but only in that this is something they can do the song and dance about

because it's already the law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_Violence_Offender_Gun_Ban

I think people are being hoodwinked by this dog and pony show, because it does nothing that isn't already federal law.

[billh58]

4. +100

Exactly.

[AtheistCrusader]

2. The Lautenberg amendment already specifies this.

If you get a misdemeanor DV, you are a felon in the eyes of the law with regards to firearm possession. If you have a DV restraining order, you too are treated as a felon in the eyes of the law for the purposes of owning, possessing, transporting, or using a firearm.

"Minnesota already prevents convicted domestic abusers from owning handguns. The bill would broaden those restrictions to include rifles and any other firearms."

This is federal law, coast to coast, ALL firearms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_Violence_Offender_Gun_Ban

I don't understand the state-level effort, because it's already the law, and has been since 1996.
The Lautenberg amendment was a huge victory for DV victims nationwide.


If they want to be productive, lobby for allocation of state funds to ENFORCE the existing law, or a state-wide FOID/registration so the police know who to collect guns from. Yes? That's what I would advocate. That's where the law is weak; enforcement. The states can do it, but they need resources, and they need to know WHO to enforce it against.