Today Senate Democrats played partisan games, passing a controversial gun control bill that targets law-abiding citizens tied to an increase in penalties for illegal straw purchases. Republicans have been working to address illegal straw purchases for over a year; however, Democrats passed their controversial legislation relying on the deciding vote of a Democrat Senator who has been charged with a felony crime of violence.  

Senate Republicans offered an amendment to find bipartisanship on the straw purchaser penalties. It was based on a bill from Sen. Julia Coleman (R-Waconia) that was the subject of a very unusual committee move where it was pulled from the floor back to the Judiciary and Public Safety committee for a second hearing, after already having been passed by the committee. It was then abandoned for Sen. Heather Gustafson’s (D-Vadnais Heights) clone version of the Coleman bill, which was promptly amended with the Democrat’s preferred language containing controversial language.  

“Democrats have shown they will stop at nothing to pass their radical agenda,” said Senator Mark Koran (R-North Branch). “We had bipartisan support to address increasing penalties for straw purchases, but instead they’ve wrapped in a controversial gun control bill and refused to work across the aisle. Once again, we’re seeing 50% of Minnesotans’ voice being ignored as Democrats pass their bill relying on the vote of an alleged felon.” 

The final bill passed on a party-line vote of 34-33 with Senator Nicole Mitchell casting the deciding vote.