Minnesota Senate Democrats advance assault weapons ban; path to final passage remains rocky

ST. PAUL — Asked how he felt after testifying in the Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee, Mike Moyski said, “At least in this committee hearing, the opposing group was able to make eye contact with us.”

Moyski’s daughter, 10-year-old Harper Moyski, was killed in the

Annunciation Catholic Church shooting on Aug. 27.

Another child, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, was also killed, and 28 others were injured in the Minneapolis shooting.

Mike Moyski testified Friday, March 13, in support of an assault weapons and high-capacity magazines ban. He and Harper’s mother, Jackie Flavin, also

testified two weeks ago

in a House committee, where the bill stalled.

“I do know at the heart of it, nobody in those rooms wants kids to die, so it’s just landing on what makes the most sense and what will get us there the fastest,” Moyski said Friday.

Despite no movement from Republicans on an assault weapons ban Friday, Moyski said he’s feeling “very much still hopeful,” and intends to keep showing up at the Capitol.

“This is the long game, and we’re here for it,” he said.

The Minnesota Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee heard a slate of 17 gun violence prevention bills on Friday. With a DFL majority, several advanced out of committee, including the assault weapons ban.

Sen. Michael Holmstrom, R-Buffalo, said he brought the assault weapons ban bill into a sporting goods store on Thursday, and wasn’t able to find any hunting rifle that wouldn’t be banned under the bill. But he said that’s not why he’s against it.

“Over the last 100 years, we’ve seen 250-plus million people killed by their own nations,” Holmstrom said. “And the Second Amendment is created specifically to defend our right against a tyrannical government that looks to strip away our freedom. That is the reason that I defend these bills — it is not because I like hunting. That is just an ancillary benefit.”

Mary Murphy / Forum News Service

Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis, who authors the ban and represents the district that covers Annunciation, responded to Holmstrom’s argument with, “Looking forward to you speaking about the occupation in our state.”

Sen. Judy Seeberger, DFL-Afton, who has previously been opposed to an assault weapons ban, was a “yes” vote on Friday, though she shared Holmstrom’s concerns about the scope of the bill.

“I am also concerned that this issue — which is at its heart a public safety issue — is being turned into a partisan issue by both parties,” Seeberger said.

While the Senate DFL can advance gun control bills with their one-seat majority, the bills’ prospects in the tied House aren’t promising.

Asked Thursday night if he sees any movement from his House Republican colleagues, House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson, of Coon Rapids, said he doesn’t believe anything has changed.

“I wish I could tell you that it was leading towards Republican support,” he said. “Leader [Harry] Niska said in a press conference many months ago that there wasn’t a single Republican vote for meaningful gun violence prevention measures, and that he wouldn’t allow a bill come to the floor, and I don’t believe that has changed.”

Mary Murphy / Forum News Service

Advertisement

One Republican gun bill that passed Friday was

SF3825,

from Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, amending existing safe storage negligence law.

Current law prohibits someone from failing to properly store a loaded firearm away from a child; Limmer’s bill would also require safe storage from a “person prohibited from possessing firearms,” not just a child. Limmer listed some examples of who the change could apply to: felons, domestic violence offenders or individuals deemed mentally unstable.

The committee also passed several bipartisan gun violence prevention bills not related to gun control — such as funding studies or mental health services.

One of those,

SF3648

from Rich Draheim, R-Madison Lake, regarding school safety specialists funding, passed unanimously. The school safety initiative has seen bipartisan support in the Senate and House — though lawmakers are

working with a tight budget this session.

Mary Murphy / Forum News Service

Mary Murphy joined Forum Communications in October 2024 as the Minnesota State Correspondent. She can be reached by email at mmurphy@forumcomm.com.