ST. PAUL, MN – Today, Minnesota House Republicans denied legislative action once again on two bipartisan gun violence prevention bills authored by State Representative Dave Pinto (DFL – St. Paul). Members of the Republican-controlled House Public Safety Committee voted against motions to take Rep. Pinto’s bills for criminal background checks and “extreme risk protection orders” from the table to be voted on and passed to their next stop in the committee process.
“Our children are begging us to find the courage to take common-sense actions that will reduce gun violence, and the Republican majority’s refusal to let these bills stand for a vote is extremely disappointing,” said Rep. Pinto. “These two measures would help to keep guns away from people who have shown themselves to be dangerous. Both are already in use in other states and have broad public support, and bipartisan support in the Minnesota House and Senate.”
Earlier this month, Republican members of the Public Safety Committee moved to table the bills, saying that they needed more time to review other bills, though they had been awaiting a hearing for over a year. The bills, which have bipartisan support, needed to pass from the Public Safety Committee by today in order to meet legislative deadlines for 2018. The first policy deadline for House bills is March 22, 2018.
“Too many lives have been lost — we cannot be satisfied with inaction,” said Rep. Pinto. “Minnesotans will not stop demanding meaningful action to help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people and keep our communities safe. The time is now.”
Rep. Pinto encourages community members of St. Paul's Macalester-Groveland, Highland Park, and Fort Road/West 7th neighborhoods to contact him on any legislative issue. He can be reached by email at rep.dave.pinto@house.mn or phone at 651-296-4199.
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