HF4362

Purpose

This bill sets rules about carrying firearms on the campuses of public colleges and other public postsecondary institutions. It lets employers and the institutions themselves create policies restricting firearms for employees, students, and visitors on campus, establishes consequences for violations, and specifies how these situations should be handled, including a carve-out for firearms in parking areas.

Main Provisions

• Employers and firearms policies
  • Employers (public or private) may establish policies that restrict the carry or possession of firearms by their employees while the employees are working. Violations can lead to employment-related civil sanctions.
• Student policies on campus
  • Public postsecondary institutions (under the referenced chapters) may establish policies that restrict the carry or possession of firearms by students while on the institution’s property. Violations may result in academic sanctions.
• Visitor policies on campus
  • Public postsecondary institutions may establish policies that restrict the carry or possession of firearms by visitors on campus property. If someone carries a firearm in violation of the institution’s policies, they may be ordered to leave the premises. If they do not leave when asked, they can be charged with a petty misdemeanor.
• First-offense penalties
  • For violations by visitors who fail to leave, the first offense carries a fine not to exceed $25.
• Forfeiture limitation
  • A firearm carried in violation of these provisions is not subject to forfeiture.
• Parking area exception
  • Notwithstanding the above, an employer or postsecondary institution may not prohibit the lawful carry or possession of firearms in a parking facility or parking area.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds explicit authority for employers and public postsecondary institutions to restrict firearms for employees and students, respectively, on campus.
• Introduces and clarifies sanctions for violations (civil sanctions for employees, academic sanctions for students, and petty misdemeanor penalties for visitors who refuse to leave).
• Establishes a mechanism for removing violators from campus premises.
• Removes the possibility of firearm forfeiture in cases covered by these provisions.
• Creates a specific exception allowing lawful firearms in parking facilities or parking areas, limiting campus-wide prohibitions in those spaces.

Enforcement and Sanctions (Summary)

• Employees: employment-related civil sanctions for violating campus or employer firearm policies.
• Students: academic sanctions for violating campus firearm policies.
• Visitors: must be ordered to leave; failure to leave is a petty misdemeanor.
• Violations of these provisions are not subject to firearm forfeiture.
• Parking areas: cannot be completely restricted from lawful firearm carry/possession.

Relevant Terms - firearms, carry, possession - employees, employers - students, public postsecondary institutions, campus, campus property - visitors, visitors on campus, on-premises - policies, institutional policies - civil sanctions, employment-related sanctions - academic sanctions - petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor - leave the premises, order to leave - parking facility, parking area - not subject to forfeiture, forfeiture exception - Notwithstanding (legal clause) - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 624.714 subdivision 18 (context for amendment)