Minnesota Senate passes school safety bill with gun-control provisions

ST. PAUL, Minn. (Northern News Now) - The Minnesota Senate passed a school safety and public safety bill Monday that includes bipartisan safe school funding provisions along with new gun-control policies.

The broader package includes measures that would restrict assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines in Minnesota.

During the debate, Sen. Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown) gave an emotional speech on the Senate floor and said he would vote for the legislation. He was considered one of three swing votes on the issue.

Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson (R–East Grand Forks) criticized Democrats for combining the school safety provisions with gun restrictions, arguing it jeopardizes what he called a bipartisan path in the House.

“Democrats have put politics first today,” Johnson said, adding Republicans “believe deeply in funding school safety and mental health for students.”

Republicans said they offered an amendment to remove the gun-control language and send a school safety and mental health funding package to the House, but it failed on a party-line vote.

The bill now moves to the Minnesota House for consideration.

Click here to download the Northern News Now app or our Northern News Now First Alert weather app.