Democrats at the Capitol are once again working to strip Minnesotans of their Constitutional Right to arm and defend themselves. The Second Amendment is clear: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Yet despite this clear right and the fact that the Supreme Court has upheld it for many years, Democrats are trying to limit access to firearms for law-abiding gun owners.

A number of extreme bills have been moving through the House: creation of a universal gun registration (HF-14), “red flag” confiscation laws (HF-15), gun storage restrictions (HF-396), and criminalization of failing to report lost or stolen firearms (HF-601). Just a few weeks ago, a bill was introduced in the Senate that rolls all of the House’s bills into one piece of bad legislation—SF-1723. That bill also states that if a gun is not locked in a fully enclosed storage container at any given time, and is accessible to any “ineligible person,” that is now considered “negligent storage” and is classified as a misdemeanor. The bill also prohibits large-capacity magazines, .50 caliber or larger firearms, and semiautomatic firearms. If passed, the regulations and limitations in the bill would go into effect this year.

Infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens will do nothing to make our communities safer. Most gun owners are law-abiding citizens that have procured guns legally, and these new laws will target them, rather than the criminals who already get their weapons illegally. I have hosted a number of town halls on this topic, because I want to hear what folks think about this overreach of government. The response has been clear: Minnesotans do not want legislators in St. Paul taking away their constitutional right to keep and bear arms. These bills are a direct attack on the way of life for many rural families throughout the state. To get ahead of these bad bills, many outstate communities have already advocated to become Second Amendment Sanctuary cities and counties. There is clear disapproval for these overreaching bills.

I find it concerning that this is the only way Democrats have chosen to address rising crime rates. Instead of working to support the police and giving them the tools to succeed, they are intent on limiting access to firearms. Though these bills have not yet been heard in the Senate, they’ve been making the rounds in the House, which indicates an intent to move the bills through the process. I’ve been vocal against these bills, and I will continue to voice my concerns and fight against government overreach. I encourage folks to reach out to Senators to let them know how you feel on this issue—make your voices heard and preserve your constitutional rights.