Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is planning to call for a special legislative session in order to give lawmakers a chance to consider tougher gun laws following a tragic school shooting last week at a Catholic school in Minneapolis that killed two children and injured 21 others.
On Tuesday, the Democratic governor said that he will be making calls to officials and will be working on a plan over the next couple of days. That was after he welcomed children back to a public school in the Minneapolis suburb of Eagan.
Minnesota Gun Control
Walz said that he plans to propose what he describes a "very comprehensive" package that may include an assault-weapons ban. However, it is not yet clear if any new restrictions on firearms can pass the closely divided Minnesota Legislature.
The situation comes as a special election this month is expected to restore a 67-67 tie in the House under a Republican speaker. Walz said that he will need some Republicans to break with the orthodoxy in a very evenly divided Legislature, according to PBS.
However, many GOP legislative leaders have expressed their discontent since the governor first floated the idea of a special session, noting that he had failed to consult them. GOP Speaker Lisa Demuth said Walz was doing this in an "overtly political way."
Demuth also indicated that her fellow Republican lawmakers may still be open to considering expanding school security funding to include private schools. They may also be open to providing more money for mental health resources.
Deadly Shootings
Walz noted that mental health issues still need to be discussed but argued that opponents cut funding for these issues. The governor said he is happy to "add it in" and believes that it should be part of the special legislative session, KNSI Radio reported.
The senior vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, Rob Doar, said he does not believe that new gun control proposals can be passed. He argued that while they need to look at potential gaps in the systems, other lawmakers are using it as a mechanism to enact a much larger, broader gun control agenda.
On the other hand, gun violence advocates point to the recent success Minnesota has experienced in passing gun safety policies. The executive director of Protect Minnesota, Maggie Emery, said the state was able to pass extreme risk protection orders or red flag laws in 2023, which became very useful, as per CBS News.
