Drizzt
February 12, 2003, 06:35 PM
Sides spar over hidden guns
BY RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER
Pioneer Press
Supporters wore yellow stickers declaring, "Have gun, will vote." Many of those opposed wore pink and buttons supporting the annual anti-gun Million Mom March.
And both said Minnesota would be a safer place if their side prevailed.
The outcome of the first committee vote on one of this session's most controversial pieces of legislation — a bill that would broaden who could carry concealed handguns for self-defense to include nearly all adult Minnesotans — was never really in doubt. It passed the House Civil Law Committee on Tuesday on a 7-4 vote and is expected to easily pass the full House within the next few weeks.
But proponents and opponents packed a large committee room to lay out their cases anyway, like attorneys giving opening statements in what promises to be a long trial.
"Please pass the Minnesota Personal Protection Act for me and for all Minnesota Women," said Andrea Murphy, a rape victim who testified that she would be safer if she could carry a gun.
Murphy said that after she was attacked, warded off another potential attack and received threats, she applied to the Apple Valley police for a concealed weapon permit so she could carry a gun with her.
She was denied.
But Duluth Mayor Gary Doty, an opponent of the bill, said local control over permits would keep the state safe.
"It is simply a public safety issue," said Doty, past president of the League of Minnesota Cities, which opposes the bill. "It is, do we really want everybody walking around our town packing a pistol?"
Under current law, people seeking a concealed weapon permit must apply to their local police departments and prove that they need to carry a weapon because of their jobs or to protect themselves.
The House bill, and a similar Senate bill, would take discretion away from police chiefs, and presume that applicants would get permits unless there was a specific reason, such as a history of violent criminal behavior, that they should not.
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, which represents 7,000 law enforcement officers, and the Minnesota Sheriff's Association oppose the bill.
In 2001, the latest year for which statistics are available, there were 12,134 applications for permits to carry guns in Minnesota, of which 827 were denied, according to Department of Public Safety data from about 300 of the state's 500 police departments. During that period, 1,647 people applied to carry weapons in the seven county metro area and 249 were denied for various reasons.
Right now, said Rep. Linda Boudreau, R-Faribault, a key sponsor of the bill, some police chiefs have simply decided few citizens deserve to carry guns and therefore deny many permits.
"We cannot continue denying people the right of self-defense," said Boudreau.
The Senate bill has not yet started wending its way through committees. Sen. Pat Pariseau, R-Farmington, a key sponsor of the bill, said the majority of senators support the proposal.
Last year, a similar bill was defeated in the Senate by one vote.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty also supports the idea of reforming the state's conceal-carry laws but has not yet examined the specific bills, said his spokeswoman Leslie Kupchella.
"What is important to him is that we see some uniform statewide laws and a process for appeals," if permits are denied, she said.
If the House bill passes, people would apply not to local police departments for permits but to their county sheriff's office. The office would have to respond within 15 days and have a specific reason to deny a permit.
People who are mentally ill, incompetent to stand trail, fugitives from justice, under 21 years old, non-citizens, chemically dependent or have been convicted of violent crimes within 10 years would not be issued permits under the bill.
Applicants would have to prove that they had been trained in the safe use of a pistol by a certified instructor within four years and would have to be retrained every four years.
Those with permits would have to carry the permit when carrying the gun and would not be permitted to be armed in the state Capitol, in courthouses, county jails, state hospitals or on school grounds unless they were picking up or dropping off a child.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/5159297.htm
BY RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER
Pioneer Press
Supporters wore yellow stickers declaring, "Have gun, will vote." Many of those opposed wore pink and buttons supporting the annual anti-gun Million Mom March.
And both said Minnesota would be a safer place if their side prevailed.
The outcome of the first committee vote on one of this session's most controversial pieces of legislation — a bill that would broaden who could carry concealed handguns for self-defense to include nearly all adult Minnesotans — was never really in doubt. It passed the House Civil Law Committee on Tuesday on a 7-4 vote and is expected to easily pass the full House within the next few weeks.
But proponents and opponents packed a large committee room to lay out their cases anyway, like attorneys giving opening statements in what promises to be a long trial.
"Please pass the Minnesota Personal Protection Act for me and for all Minnesota Women," said Andrea Murphy, a rape victim who testified that she would be safer if she could carry a gun.
Murphy said that after she was attacked, warded off another potential attack and received threats, she applied to the Apple Valley police for a concealed weapon permit so she could carry a gun with her.
She was denied.
But Duluth Mayor Gary Doty, an opponent of the bill, said local control over permits would keep the state safe.
"It is simply a public safety issue," said Doty, past president of the League of Minnesota Cities, which opposes the bill. "It is, do we really want everybody walking around our town packing a pistol?"
Under current law, people seeking a concealed weapon permit must apply to their local police departments and prove that they need to carry a weapon because of their jobs or to protect themselves.
The House bill, and a similar Senate bill, would take discretion away from police chiefs, and presume that applicants would get permits unless there was a specific reason, such as a history of violent criminal behavior, that they should not.
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, which represents 7,000 law enforcement officers, and the Minnesota Sheriff's Association oppose the bill.
In 2001, the latest year for which statistics are available, there were 12,134 applications for permits to carry guns in Minnesota, of which 827 were denied, according to Department of Public Safety data from about 300 of the state's 500 police departments. During that period, 1,647 people applied to carry weapons in the seven county metro area and 249 were denied for various reasons.
Right now, said Rep. Linda Boudreau, R-Faribault, a key sponsor of the bill, some police chiefs have simply decided few citizens deserve to carry guns and therefore deny many permits.
"We cannot continue denying people the right of self-defense," said Boudreau.
The Senate bill has not yet started wending its way through committees. Sen. Pat Pariseau, R-Farmington, a key sponsor of the bill, said the majority of senators support the proposal.
Last year, a similar bill was defeated in the Senate by one vote.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty also supports the idea of reforming the state's conceal-carry laws but has not yet examined the specific bills, said his spokeswoman Leslie Kupchella.
"What is important to him is that we see some uniform statewide laws and a process for appeals," if permits are denied, she said.
If the House bill passes, people would apply not to local police departments for permits but to their county sheriff's office. The office would have to respond within 15 days and have a specific reason to deny a permit.
People who are mentally ill, incompetent to stand trail, fugitives from justice, under 21 years old, non-citizens, chemically dependent or have been convicted of violent crimes within 10 years would not be issued permits under the bill.
Applicants would have to prove that they had been trained in the safe use of a pistol by a certified instructor within four years and would have to be retrained every four years.
Those with permits would have to carry the permit when carrying the gun and would not be permitted to be armed in the state Capitol, in courthouses, county jails, state hospitals or on school grounds unless they were picking up or dropping off a child.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/5159297.htm