Comparisons lead to perspectives. Comparisons help set goals. I ran my fastest 440 yard dash in 52.8 seconds. The national 440 yard dash record is 45.8. Perspective. Goal. Similarly, comparing Minnesota gun violence with California gun violence lends perspective and goal. Everytown reviewed every state on similar GVP (gun violence prevention) laws. California ranks #1 nationally for gun law strength. Minnesota ranks #14 in gun law strength. California’s composite score is 89.5, and Minnesota’s is 53.5. Let’s dive deeper into the plusses and minuses.
Minnesota and California have passed similar GVP laws in the following areas: background checks and/or purchase permit, concealed carry permit required, extreme risk law, no shoot first law, secure storage or child access prevention, no special immunity for gun industry, no carry after violent offense, no guns in K-12 schools, open carry regulated, strong concealed carry authority, felony prohibitor, fugitive from justice prohibitor, hate crime prohibitor, mental health prohibitor, no gun purchase after violent offense, prohibition for convicted domestic abusers, prohibition for domestic abusers under restraining orders, relinquishment for convicted domestic abusers, relinquishment for domestic abusers under restraining orders, stalker prohibitor, violence intervention program funding, authority to deny gun purchase for public safety, Charleston loophole closed or limited, mental health record reporting, waiting periods. We can celebrate these pro-life GVP actions.
BUT there is the necessity for greater gun safety laws. Laws that California has on the books that Minnesota does not: assault weapons prohibited, consumer safety requiring new handgun models have childproofing features, ghost guns regulated, high capacity magazines prohibited, microstamping for new handguns, crime gun tracing, no guns mandate on college campuses, no guns at state capitols and/or demonstrations, no guns in bars, emergency restraining order prohibitor, minimum age to purchase, school threat assessment teams, funding for services for victims of gun violence, local gun laws allowed, no law enforcement officers bill of rights, office of violence intervention, police use of deadly force standard, police use of force incident data collection and reporting, qualified immunity limited, dealer license required, lost and stolen reporting, notification of failed background checks, sales records sent to law enforcement, training required to gun purchaser guns.
Comparing Minnesota and California leads to a conclusion that Minnesota can do better to make our state more gun safe. Furthermore, responsible people can still purchase a weapon. Gun rights are respected and responsibility expected.