Another state will now have universal background checks for gun sales.
This time, it’s Minnesota, where Democratic Governor Tim Walz signed the provisions into law on Friday. Other recent additions to the list include Michigan. In both states, Democrats secured control of both the state legislature and the governorship in last year’s midterm elections, exemplifying just how critical that the results of elections can really be!
Walz also signed into law a plan allowing for what are known as extreme risk protection orders, which are legal measures that concerned third parties can pursue that block access to firearms for an individual suspected of posing a danger to themselves or others. Such a framework allows for specialized intervention in cases where a given individual might be exhibiting particularly concerning behavior, as has sometimes been the case with individuals who’ve gone on to commit some atrocity.
Under the new rules in Minnesota, those who can pursue the risk protection orders evidently include a family member, guardian, city or county attorney, and police chief. Other Democratic state officials have also recently taken action in this same area. In Colorado, Democratic Governor Jared Polis signed into law an expansion of the list of those who can seek the orders, adding teachers and healthcare professionals who otherwise fit the requirements to the list. Many of these initiatives, such as universal background checks for transfers of firearms, are very widely supported by the general public, which sometimes even includes many Republicans. In a YouGov poll conducted last month, the portion of general respondents in support reached 82 percent. It’s very consistent.
“As a veteran, gun-owner, hunter, and dad, I know basic gun safety isn’t a threat to the Second Amendment – it’s about keeping our kids safe,” Walz said. “There’s no place for weapons of war in our schools, churches, banks, or anywhere else people are just trying to live their lives. Today is about taking meaningful action to create a safer future for our kids, and I am proud to sign this commonsense, life-saving legislation into law.”
