FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MEDIA CONTACT: PETER FJELSTAD, (651) 296-4837

Senator Julianne Ortman

District 47 Serving Carver County

Office: 119 State Office Bldg., Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155 State Senator Julianne Ortman Introduces Bill to Protect Gun-Owners Rights and Target Gun Crime
(St. Paul, MN) - On Wednesday, March 13, State Senator Julianne Ortman (R-Chanhassen) and a bipartisan group of over 20 co-authors introduced the Gun Crime Enforcement Proposal (SF 1359). This bill has been introduced in conjunction with companion House bills. In introducing the bill, Senator Ortman stated, This bill contains a variety of initiatives intended to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who are already legally prohibited from possessing firearms--by targeting instances of gun crime and assisting law enforcement and prosecutors in enforcing current restrictions. Its a crime for a convicted felon to possess a gun; its also a crime for someone to lie on a gun permit application, or to buy a gun illegally. Thats current federal law and state law, said Ortman. We need to make sure our county attorneys and local law enforcement in Minnesota have all the tools they need under state law to ensure that individuals who are already prohibited by federal law from owning or buying a gun know that we will hold them accountable for their criminal behavior. The Gun Crime Enforcement Proposal includes several important elements, and by supporting it, we protect both the rights and the lives of law-abiding citizens. Below is a brief overview of the Gun Crime Enforcement Proposal 2013 (SF 1359): Cracks Down on Straw Purchases Prohibits individuals from knowingly encouraging private sellers or licensed dealers to transfer firearms or ammunition under circumstances that the person knows would violate state or federal laws. Prohibits individuals from knowingly providing materially false information with the intent to deceive a licensed dealer or seller about the legality of a transfer of a firearm or ammunition. Penalizes an individual that procures another to commit the illegal transfer as a principal. Improves State and Federal Background Check System Accelerates the time periods for sharing criminal data and information on individuals ineligible to possess firearms based on criminal convictions and disqualifications, and mental health adjudications and commitments essentially ensuring that background check databases have the most current and accurate information available. Requires reporting of the duration of firearm prohibitions in order to remove individuals who are no longer prohibited.

Improves Reporting of Court-Determined Mental Health Disqualification and Creates a Process for Restoration of Rights People who have been placed under certain types of mental health-related orders are banned by federal law from possessing firearms. The provisions in this legislation would implement requirements set forth in the federal NICS Improvement Amendments Act (NIAA) of 2007, and allow persons who have lost their firearm rights because of a mental health commitment or adjudication the right to petition to have them restored. Strengthens Penalties on Felons and Repeat Criminal Offenders Prohibits felons from possessing ammunition -- mirroring the federal prohibition on felons possessing ammunition Creates mandatory minimums for violent felons that are convicted of possessing firearms on a second or subsequent offense Provides felony penalties for individuals that engage in repeated knowingly false reports of lost or stolen firearms Provides felony penalties for individuals that intentionally transfer a firearm to an ineligible person they know intends to use the weapon in the furtherance of a felony crime of violence. This bill contains no new restrictions on gun purchases or gun ownership. It has no impact on law abiding citizens. More specifically, this bill does not require universal background checks on gun purchases. Some strong supporters have recently emerged in favor of the Gun Crime Enforcement Proposal (SF 1359): Sheriff Jim Olson, Sheriff of Carver County This proposed bipartisan legislation will provide me with accurate and up to date information that I need before issuing a gun permit. It imposes harsh penalties on straw buyers who intentionally buy guns for those that should not have them. Criminals and those that have been committed, mentally ill and dangerous should not be able to purchase guns. Chris Rager, Spokeman for the National Rifle Association, The NRA supports Senator Ortman's Senate File 1359 because it offers real solutions to address problems of violent crime in Minnesota. Instead of infringing on the rights of lawabiding and responsible gun owners, SF 1359 seeks to crack down on straw purchasers, strengthen penalties for felons and repeat offenders, and improve the background check system. NRA applauds Senator Ortman and the dozens of bipartisan coauthors for protecting and respecting the Second Amendment and getting tough on crime. Andrew Rothman, Vice President of the Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, Senator Ortman's bill, first and foremost, protects and respects the rights of law-abiding gun owners, while focusing on the real problems: identifying violent criminals and the dangerously mentally ill who slip through the cracks of our existing background check systems, and keeping violent criminals behind bars where they belong. The Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, Minnesota's Second Amendment defender for the last quarter century, is proud to stand with Senator Ortman, her bipartisan co-authors, and the Minnesota Sheriffs Association in support of this bill.

Kevin Vick, owner of gun stores Crucible Arms in Lakeville and Cabin Fever in Victoria, As a licensed firearms dealer, I never want to sell a gun to an unstable or criminal individual. Too often, though, those people's records have slipped through the cracks. That's what happened with Seung-Hui Cho, the Virginia Tech murderer, as well as Christian Oberender, a local convicted felon, both of whom were able to buy guns because the state record-keeping is so lax. Senator Ortman's bill would seal those cracks, giving me and all Federal Firearm License dealers the information we need to make sure we're selling only to law-abiding Minnesotans." Bill McDonald, owner of Wings of Watertown, a small family owned and operated pheasant hunting preserve, Over the course of the past four years I have had the privilege of meeting hundreds of wonderful people; many of them have been business owners and their clients, some have been fathers and sons, and others have been people just getting into the outdoor pursuits. And, in more than one case, the topic of firearms (and gun control) has come up during conversation. Quite honestly, I do not recall any of my customers supporting gun control; they support criminal control. Senator Ortmans bill, the Gun Crime Enforcement Proposal has wide support from members of the Senate Republican Caucus including the following co-authors: Minority Leader David Hann, Senator Warren Limmer, Senator David Osmek, Senator Dave Thompson, Senator Jeremy Miller, Senator Julie Rosen, Senator David Brown, Senator Branden Petersen, Senator Dan Hall, Senator David Senjem, Senator Roger Chamberlain, Senator Mary Kiffmeyer, Senator Bill Weber, Senator Eric Pratt, Senator Michelle Benson, and Senator Paul Gazelka. The Gun Crime Enforcement Proposal also has obtained the support of a number of DFL co-authors: Senator Lyle Koenen, Senator Kent Eken, Senator Dan Sparks, Senator Tom Saxhaug, and Senator LeRoy Stumpf. In the Minnesota House of Representatives, State Representative Debra Hilstrom (DFL-Brooklyn Center) is the Chief Author. Every member of the House Republican Caucus is a co-author on the Gun Crime Enforcement Proposal, as are a number of DFL House members. Both State Representative Ernie Leidiger (R-Mayer) and State Representative Joe Hoppe (R-Chaska) are co-authors on the House version of this bill. The Gun Crime Enforcement Proposal has earned the support of the National Rifle Association, the Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, and the Minnesota Sheriffs Association.