In response to last month's mass shooting at a school in Newtown, Conn., the St. Paul City Council is asking the Legislature for tighter gun restrictions and a review of the state's gun laws in the session that begins Tuesday.

The City Council unanimously agreed Wednesday to amend its legislative agenda to seek a ban on sales of semi- automatic assault weapons and magazines with more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

The council also backed granting greater leeway to local officials in gun permit decisions, stricter background checks on gun buyers and creation of a gun violence policy committee to recommend changes in gun laws.

"For the safety of the citizens of St. Paul and our law enforcement officers, we need to work to make reasonable amendments to our gun laws at the state and federal level," said Council Member Chris Tolbert, who sponsored the resolution.

Other local governments across the country have passed similar resolutions since the Newtown shooting.