Minnesota governor calls for a special legislative gathering to address gun regulations, in response to a recent shooting incident.
Following last week's shooting in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 21 people injured, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has announced plans to call a special legislative session to consider toughening gun laws.
The Governor's proposals may include an assault-weapons ban, safe storage requirements, liability insurance requirements, new additions to Minnesota's "red flag" law, and increased funding for mental health resources. However, it remains unclear if these restrictions can pass in Minnesota, where lawmakers' opinions are divided.
GOP speaker Lisa Demuth criticized Governor Walz for holding the special session in an "overtly political way." Demuth suggested that the GOP may support expanding school security funding to include private schools and providing more funding for mental health resources, but stopped short of endorsing the gun control measures.
Other GOP lawmakers complained that they were not consulted about the special session. In response, Governor Walz has said that he will be making calls to lawmakers and creating a plan over the next few days.
The mayors of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Bloomington plan to call on the Minnesota Legislature to change a state law from 1985, allowing cities within the state to enact their own gun restrictions. All three mayors support bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
The shooting at the Church of Annunciation has affected the school's schedule. Annunciation students returned to school last Monday, but have not returned since the tragedy. Officials at the school have not said when classes will resume.
The number of injured from the attack on the Church of Annunciation was raised over the weekend to 21. Eighteen of the injured are children between the ages of 6 to 15, and three are adults.
A special election planned this month is expected to restore the 67-67 tie in the House with a Republican speaker. With the Senate Democrats leading by only one vote, the outcome of the special session remains uncertain.
Governor Walz has emphasized that his plans would not infringe on Second Amendment rights and focus on protecting students. He has stated that children may not be safe in school or church environments if Minnesota does not take action.
The search results do not contain the name of the Republican speaker in the Minnesota House of Representatives who is expected to discuss the proposal to strengthen gun laws during the special legislative session. As the session approaches, more details about the proposals and the lawmakers' responses are expected to emerge.
