ST. PAUL – State Rep. Bernie Perryman, R-St. Augusta, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Tim Walz on Monday conducting a ceremonial signing for a new state law increasing penalties for those acting as "straw purchasers" of firearms from a gross misdemeanor to a felony:
"I applaud stiffening penalties for straw purchases, where someone transfers a firearm to a person who is ineligible to possess one," Perryman said. "In fact, I personally co-authored legislation to do this very thing because it's one good way we can stop the revolving door that’s fueling Minnesota’s violent crime without infringing upon law-abiding gun owners. Our focus needs to be enforcing existing laws, issuing sentences that fit the crime and clamping down on repeat offenders before they take any more lives as we've seen in our state. We also need to do all we can to support our law enforcement officers instead of demonizing those who selflessly serve and protect us every day."
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