FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMEDIA CONTACT:
Austin Parrish
651.297.8407
Austin.Parrish@house.mn.gov
News Release
Representative Zeleznikar Responds to Democrat Passage of Partisan Infringements on the Second Amendment Saint Paul, MN — Late into the evening last night the Democrat majority pushed forward with three bills that infringe on Minnesotan’s Second Amendment rights and seek to criminalize law-abiding citizens. H.F. 601 criminalizes victims of crime if they don’t report a stolen gun in a certain timeframe instead of going after the perpetrators of the crime, H.F. 4300 compromises someone’s ability to defend themselves at home with new storage requirements, and H.F. 2609 includes changes to the definition of a “trigger activator” that may impact some commonly used guns and render them illegal. This would be especially prevalent for various Glock owners that may fall under this broad definition. All passed with opposition from Representative Natalie Zeleznikar (R – Fredenberg Township) and her Republican colleagues. “The 48-hour timeline for lost or stolen firearms and vague definitions in the bill are particularly concerning as they would criminalize victims of this theft.” Said Representative Zeleznikar. “Instead of criminalizing lawful gun owners, violent criminals should be held accountable, especially with the increasing crime rate across the state.” “I was particularly disappointed in the comments from those across the aisle on their so-called ‘Safe Storage’ bill. Multiple members across the aisle made comments alluding to personal firearms making women less safe. I firmly believe in “the great equalizer” ability to balance the odds in the unfortunate event a firearm is needed for self-defense.” "I am extremely disappointed with the actions of the majority regarding H.F. 2609. They have combined an extremely burdensome definition of trigger activator with legislation that seeks to increase penalties for illegal straw purchases. Increasing penalties for those who purchase guns illegally on behalf of someone who is barred from owning a weapon has garnered strong bipartisan support and was originally introduced by Representative Scott, a fellow Republican. Unfortunately, Democrats chose to prioritize politics over public safety by making what they saw as a victory out of the combination of these two bills." "Curbing gun violence is a bipartisan issue, and this includes those children struck by criminal gun fire while they are shot in car seats from drive by shootings or playing in their yard. These statistics are not being addressed in any of these laws. In addition, a bill was introduced by Democrats to eliminate all minimum sentences for gun related crimes for criminals. So, the proposed bills focus on law abiding citizens vs criminals. This is unacceptable." ### |