Crossing the podium. Walz greets an Owatonna crowd for his annual State of the State address. It was brief,   22 minutes, but covered a waterfront of issues before the 2024 Legislature

Governor to lawmakers: Gun safety reform needed

OWATONNA, Minn. – Governor Tim Walz pressed Minnesota legislators to pass new gun controls to require the safe storage of firearms. “Take the NRA on,” Walz said in a reference to the National Rifle Association, which for decades vehemently has opposed any gun limits. Walz made his call for what’s called common-sense limitations in his annual State of the State address, this year at the Owatonna High School. “When you come to high school, you should be worried about pop quizzes and prom dates — not mass shootings,” Walz said. “That’s why as governor I made it a point to move towards responsible gun ownership and take the NRA on.” The governor, a gun-owner and hunter, consistently held an “A” rating from the NRA while in Congress. Then in 2018 in Florida, 17 students and school staff at Parkland High School were murdered. Walz lost the NRA’s “A” that year when he ran for governor on a platform to help preclude more Parkland massacres.  In the Owatonna address also called for:

> Mandatory reporting of lost or stolen firearms.

> Tougher penalties for straw purchases.

Walz left unmentioned two proposals from fellow Democrats in the Legislature. These include a ban on the sale and transfer of semi-automatic rifles. There also is a Democratic proposal to allow local governments to enact their own gun laws.

Other Walz points

In his 22–minute address Walz praised the Democrat-controlled 2023 Legislature for what he called “historic investments” in public education, affordable housing and child care. The speech, said political observers, was mindful that all 134 seats of the Minnesota House will be on November ballots. Republicans already have stepped up attacks on Democratic spending from 2023 and new programs. “Tonight,” Walz told his Owatonna audience. “I am proud to report that the state of our state is strong, and one of the main reasons is because the kids of our state are better equipped to thrive,” Walz said. Other takeaways:

> More work is needed to improve child skills. Less than half of Minnesota students meet or exceed grade level standards in reading and math, he said.

> More students are eating school breakfast and lunch thanks to the free school meals program passed last year. Full bellies make for better learning, he said.

> Government should steer clear of regulating women’s choice for their health. He was specific about the recent Alabama Supreme Court declaration that frozen embryos are children, which caused infertility clinics to close at least temporarily. He noted  that First Lady Gwen Walz underwent in-vitro fertilization to start their family.

> The 2004 Legislature needs to fund infrastructure projects for clean water, safer streets and affordable housing. He earlier proposed a $982 million for public works, which he acknowledged was “not flashy” but nonetheless essential.