Landmark moment. Governor Tim Walz, seated next to the lectern and holding the 500-page 2023 policing legislation,  told the standing-room-only crowd: “The reason the room is so full is because the vast majority of Minnesotans have been waiting too damn long for this day.” The crowd, with many wearing t-shirts the messages like “Gun Owners for Safety” and “Moms Demand Action,” clapped and cheered.

Governor dismisses Second Amendment as gun issue

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A historic public safety bill became a pending law with the signature of Governor Tim Walz at a packed Capitol ceremony. Besides renewing police funding, the bill establishes universal background checks for gun purchases and allows authorities to confiscate guns from people flagged as dangerous. Also:  firearm transactions outside an immediate family would require a background check on the buyer. Walz said:

“I understand our rights as Americans, but I refuse to allow extremists to define what responsible gun ownership looks like and to make this about the Second Amendment. This is not about the Second Amendment. This is about the safety of our children and our community.”

Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan made a point of the bill as historic:

“It has taken decades of organizing and rallies and marches and meetings, years of hope and years of heartbreak to get us here today. Public safety is just that. Safety for everyone. Because everyone deserves to be safe and valued and protected in their schools, in their homes, at the grocery store, at the movies, and throughout their communities.”

Expanded background checks will begin in August, the “red flag” provisions in January.

Earlier: Minnesota Senate passes gun limits

Earlier: Gun controls plugged into police funding bill

Gabby Giffords.

Her message. The former Democratic congresswoman from Arizona, who was shot in the head in 2011 in Tucson and who has had a miraculous recovery, spoke briefly at the ceremony. Because of the severe brain injuries, she her delivery was slow, deliberate  and faltering. Her message, though, was clear: “Minnesotans know the toll gun violence takes on communities and families. In 2021, more than 500 Minnesotans died from gun violence. Enough is enough. Governor Walz and lawmakers across the state have taken meaningful action to save lives from gun violence. With strong leadership, we can turn tragedy into action.”