Gov. Tim Walz appeared in front of Deerwood Elementary on Tuesday and pitched what he described as a “comprehensive” gun control package he’d like to see passed in a special session.
Walz’s comments came in the wake of last Wednesday’s deadly attack by a lone assailant on students worshipping at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis. Two students were killed and 18 other people were injured, including 15 children.
Walz acknowledged that his gun control proposals would need some Republican support in order to actually pass.
“In a very evenly divided [legislature], I’m gonna need some Republicans to break with the orthodoxy and say that we need to do something on guns,” Walz said.
“My hope is that over the next day or two, we’ll get some calls made, we’ll gets some folks on, we’ll see some folks stand up publicly and say what the parents of these students are saying, ‘please do something to help us,’” Walz said. “Once they do that, we’ll call that and then bring them back.
“If Minnesota lets this moment slide and we determine that it’s OK for little ones to not be safe in a school environment or church environment, then shame on us,” he continued. “So I’m gonna call them back and ask them to do it.”
The two-term Democrat elaborated on some of the measures he wants legislators to pass, including a ban on “assault rifles,” a “safe storage” law, and legislation that would require gun owners to carry insurance for guns they keep in their homes.
“When I got my homeowners insurance, they asked me if I had a trampoline or a dog, and you know why they did that,” Walz said. “Because both of those things add liability to you. They didn’t ask me about the guns that were in my house. And they should ask you about the guns, and we should do something about that.”
Republicans call on Walz to support school security enhancements
House Republicans balked at Walz’s special session pitch, criticizing the governor for not yet reaching out to legislative leaders about the idea.
“As disappointing as it is that the governor is doing this in such an overtly political way, House Republicans stand ready to protect students and schools,” said House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring. “I hope we can have a real conversation about all aspects of safety — including things like the school security funding that was denied by the DFL trifecta in 2023 and more funding for desperately needed mental health resources — instead of vague demands for policies that have not stopped gun violence in other states.”
Walz has received criticism in local and national media since the attack at Annunciation last week after reports revealed that Catholic and independent school leaders warned Walz of an “urgent and critical” need for security funding. No action was taken.
Gun control measures on Walz’s wishlist didn’t pass under DFL trifecta
Reporters asked the governor why some of his gun control proposals weren’t passed when he had a DFL-controlled legislature in 2023 and 2024. During those sessions, Democrats were able to pass a red-flag law and universal background checks, but they failed to gain enough support from their own members to pass additional gun control measures.
Walz also referenced Australia and Scotland as models for America.
“I remind folks, again, why do we sell ourselves short as a nation that we can’t do this? When they had a school shooting in Scotland, or they had an incident in Australia, they simply made changes. They are just as free as we are.”
In Scotland, individuals cannot purchase any firearms until they are granted permission by law enforcement, and must “have good reason to own the firearm or shotgun.” In Australia, individuals can only purchase guns — of any type — by government-issued permit. And permits are only granted to applicants who can show they will use it for things like sport shooting or farming. The nation’s statutory permitting process explicitly excludes self-defense as a valid reason for purchasing a firearm.
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
