ST. PAUL – With numerous bills moving forward in the DFL-controlled legislature that would negatively impact your 2nd Amendment liberties, State Representative Steve Jacob (R-Altura) and other lawmakers have been holding town hall meetings across the region to give residents the opportunity to learn more about proposed legislation and ask questions.
Jacob said the next gathering will take place on Sunday, April 2 at the at the Rochester VFW, 2775 43rd St NW, at 2:00 p.m.
“I’ve taken part in three previous gun rights meetings in our area and they have been extremely well attended,” Jacob said. “Most law-abiding gun owners are shocked when they learn how extreme Democrat lawmakers are trying to infringe on their 2nd Amendment rights, and how these proposals likely will become law unless common sense gun owners start speaking up.”
Jacob said Democrats are moving bills that would restrict the rights of law-abiding firearm owners, and their bills will do nothing to get firearms off the streets from people who should not have them. They include imposing several new restrictions on the transfer of pistols and semi-automatic weapons; creating a process where a court can issue an order to have your firearms seized by law enforcement; requiring firearm owners to store their guns unloaded with a locking device and separately from its ammunition; and requiring firearm owners to report the loss or theft of a firearm to the local law enforcement agency within 48 hours of its loss, and creating a penalty if a person does not report the loss within that timeframe.
Jacob said Republicans want to make it easier for law-abiding citizens to exercise our Second Amendment rights and defend ourselves, our homes, and our families, and believe we should focus efforts on getting guns out of the hands of criminals and getting the criminals off the streets who use firearms to commit crimes. Their proposals include the repeal of requiring permit to carry applications from being made in person; eliminating the five-year expiration of a permit to carry a firearm and authorizing a lifetime permit to carry as long as the person does not become ineligible to possess a firearm; and implementing “stand your ground” legislation that allows a person to take immediate action against a home intruder before the intruder has the opportunity to shoot first.
“The Democrats that want to take guns out of the hands of law-abiding gun owners are also doing nothing to keep convicted violent criminals behind bars,” Jacob said. “I strongly urge local residents to join us in Rochester on April 2 to learn more about the gun control bills that are moving forward in the Minnesota House and to make their voices heard.