Gun show background check proposal is defeated

By Mike Kaszuba

A proposal to require background checks on all persons buying firearms at gun shows in Minnesota failed to clear its first hurdle Wednesday before a House committee.

The House Crime Victims and Criminal Records panel defeated the proposal by a 5 to 3 vote, leaving the legislation's future in doubt. But Rep. Michael Paymar, DFL-St. Paul, the bill's author, said he may at some point resurrect the proposal before this year's legislative session ends.

"We knew that was not a friendly committee," said Paymar, whose bill drew sharp criticism from gun rights advocates and the National Rifle Association. "[But] it's not over [at the Legislature] until, you know, the gavel comes down in May."

Paymar's legislation, which was favored by anti-gun groups, aimed to close what supporters said was a legal loophole that allowed persons attending a gun show to sell a gun without requiring the buyer to undergo a background check. While many gun dealers at gun shows are licensed, requiring them to make sure background checks are conducted, many gun sales take place without background checks, Paymar said.

But gun rights groups said that, despite claims from the legislation's supporters, there were no legal loopholes that needed to be closed. More importantly, they said, Paymar and others had not been able to show that guns bought at gun shows without background checks were a significant factor in crimes.

Rep. Dave Olin, DFL-Thief River Falls, said voters in his northern Minnesota district were opposed to gun restrictions. He also said he was "a little dismayed" that Paymar, despite Wednesday's defeat, might try to insert the bill into law through other procedural moves.