ARTICLE AD BOX
Gov. Tim Walz is mobilizing for a potential emergency legislative session on gun proposals after a school shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school this week.
The Democratic governor posted on social media Friday that “it’s time to take serious action at the State Capitol to address gun violence.” But he provided few details about when that could take place or what measures would be up for discussion if lawmakers returned to St. Paul.
Aides said Walz has been calling lawmakers about what might be done ahead of the 2026 session, which doesn’t convene until February.
A day earlier, Democratic lawmakers and Minneapolis city officials called for bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Similar bills have languished over the years.
Any special session could be dicey because the political layout of the Legislature remains closely divided. Republicans will have at least a share of House control, which is currently in the GOP’s favor 67 to 66 pending a Sept. 16 special election.
In the Senate, it would also be hard to gain traction on bills favored by Walz and his party. Given current vacancies that won’t be filled until November, there aren't enough Democratic votes in the Senate to pass anything without GOP backing.
On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said she recognized the political hurdles she faced. But she said public pressure could change some legislators’ minds.
“I think a majority of Minnesotans would support the ban of assault weapons and a ban on high-capacity magazines. And I sometimes think it is a miscarriage of our work when a majority of people are ready for something and those elected aren’t ready to move it,” Murphy told MPR News. “And in this case, I just want to remind all of us that we've got to love our kids more than the politics that are holding us back.”
Since this week's shooting at Annunciation Catholic School that left two children dead and many more injured, DFLers have pushed to increase gun restrictions. The perpetrator, who died by suicide at the scene, purchased three firearms recently and unleashed more than 100 rounds into the sanctuary where a first-week-of-school Mass was being held, authorities say.
Republicans have pointed to other problems, including mental health, as needing more urgent attention.
Rep. Harry Niska, a top-ranking House Republican, said Walz floated his idea before having any discussions with Republicans.
“If this were serious and not a partisan stunt, he would be calling Republicans, starting with the Speaker of the House,” Niska posted on social media. “But, in fact, it’s just a partisan stunt.”
Without prior agreement, lawmakers could expand the agenda beyond guns.
In Minnesota, the governor has sole power to call a special session, but lawmakers decide when it ends. Governors typically hesitate to summon lawmakers back without a concrete plan of action.
The potential special session would be the first time lawmakers reassemble following June shootings that killed House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and injured state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
English (US) ·