Tim Walz pushes ‘assault weapon’ ban and ammo tax in gun control blitz

Walz outlined the plan during a news conference, alongside Annunciation Catholic Church shooting survivor Lydia Kasier, an eighth-grade student. The governor said the proposal includes "a ban on military assault rifles, high-capacity magazines… safe storage, reporting your weapons when they're lost or stolen, closing the ghost gun loophole, implements a firearm insurance requirement, establishes a firearm and ammunition tax and creates and expands early intervention resources."

https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz/status/2026384277974266359?s=20

"This legislative session, this is an opportunity to make Minnesota the safest state around gun violence while doing nothing to impinge on your Second Amendment rights," Walz said.

The proposal is expected to face pushback from Minnesota Republicans, though Walz said he is open to compromise.

"I think this is a comprehensive package, but I'm open to hearing from folks," the governor said. "It's certainly a lot better than saying we don't want to do anything and stalling on that."

Kaiser also spoke at the news conference to highlight the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church, where a transgender-identifying shooter killed two children and wounded more than 20 others.

"All children have the right to live free from gun violence in schools, churches and in our communities," Kaiser said during the news conference. "Elected officials have a duty to protect us from guns. No one should have to go through what we went through at Annunciation."

If passed, the legislation would likely face legal challenges, particularly in light of the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen. In that decision, the court held that gun restrictions are constitutional only if they are consistent with the country’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.