'It's a big deal': MN leaders respond after U.S. senators reach deal on gun control legislation
MINNEAPOLIS -- A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators has reached a deal. It means U.S. gun laws could soon be changing.
Esme Murphy has been checking in with Minnesota leaders on what is being called breakthrough legislation. It is the first time in a generation that enough Democrats and Republicans have agreed on any form of gun control legislation.
The announcement was made by a bipartisan group of Senators Sunday and it is just as significant for what it does not have in the proposal as what it does have.
It does not have universal background checks or universal red flag provisions.
It does have funding incentives for states to pass red flag laws. It also has tougher background checks for those under 21, which would include examining mental health and prior juvenile criminal records. In both the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings, the gunmen were 18 years old and had purchased their guns legally.
Local Gun control advocates say while they would have liked the Senate compromise to go a lot farther, it is a major start.
"It's a big deal. It's exciting and it's the first time in 26 years that there has been any possibility of meaningful movement at the federal level on gun safety," said Molly Leutz of Minnesota Moms Demand Action.
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus put out this statement:
"We anxiously await the actual legislative text of the proposals shared in the U.S. Senate's gun control framework. As we have often seen, the unintended consequences of these proposals extend well beyond simple political talking points."
A member of the caucus, Rob Doar said he wants to see the wording, and is unsure about the under-21 background check changes.
"Could it be possible that law-abiding gun owners who made a dumb mistake as a kid get caught up in that," Doar said.
The Senate compromise also addresses the so-called "boyfriend loophole." Current law provides for more detailed checks when a married partner has been accused of domestic abuse. This measure would provide similar checks for unmarried domestic partners. Closing the loophole has long been a priority of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is calling this compromise a positive step forward.
This compromise does have a way to go. Details and language must be hammered out. However, because this has the support of 10 Republicans, it does for right now, have enough backing to overcome procedural obstacles in the Senate.
