HF5160

Purpose

• Strengthen public safety by regulating semiautomatic military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, while also addressing school safety, firearm storage, and related reporting. The bill aims to update and enforce gun laws, support mental health and emergency response services, and fund statewide safety initiatives.

Main Provisions

• Semiautomatic military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines

  • Defines which firearms count as semiautomatic military-style assault weapons (SASWs) using a detailed list of specific models and characteristics.
  • Adds criteria for other firearms that are considered SASWs (e.g., features like detachable magazines, pistol grips, folding/ telescoping stocks, shrouds, etc.).
  • Prohibits possession, sale, and import of SASWs and large-capacity magazines; includes provisions for firearms that are “nearly identical” to listed weapons or produced under certain licensing arrangements.
  • Establishes that certain firearms are not SASWs if permanently inoperable or recognized as suitable for sporting purposes under federal law.
  • Creates catch-all language to cover other models that fit the same action design or modifications as listed weapons.

• Ghost guns and related restrictions

  • Reiterates or strengthens prohibitions and rules related to ghost guns (undetectable or unserialized firearms) and their manufacture or sale.

• Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) and related enforcement

  • Reenacts and modifies the ERPO framework to help remove firearms from individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others. Includes updates to procedures, processes, or enforcement.

• Binary triggers and similar devices

  • Reenacts the ban on binary triggering devices (devices that fire more than one shot per trigger pull) and clarifies how related components are regulated.

• School safety, storage, and reporting

  • Strengthens provisions about dangerous weapons in schools and negligent storage of firearms on school grounds.
  • Requires or clarifies reporting on firearms discharge by law enforcement.

• Anonymous threat reporting and school safety planning

  • Encourages schools to implement local anonymous threat reporting systems to identify and respond to potential threats.

• Mental health supports and reimbursement

  • Updates reimbursement rates for mental health providers under the Medical Assistance program to support related services.

• Funding for safety, research, and public awareness

  • Allocates one-time and ongoing funding for public awareness campaigns about ERPOs, violence prevention research, and school safety programs.
  • Provides grants to nonpublic schools for school safety (with prioritization for schools with lower fiscal capacity) and requires reporting on grant awards and uses.
  • Supports school-linked behavioral health grants, mobile crisis services, and startup grants for family peer specialists.

• Administrative and regulatory updates

  • Requires reporting and administrative requirements related to the new and updated provisions.
  • Makes targeted amendments to multiple Minnesota Statutes to implement the changes.

Changes to Existing Law

• Adds new definitions and subdivisions relating to SASWs, large-capacity magazines, ghost guns, and threat reporting.
• Repeats or amends provisions connected to ERPOs and school safety laws, and clarifies how these laws interact with other firearm regulations.
• Replaces or adds cross-references and regulatory language in several statute sections to align with the new prohibitions, definitions, and funding mechanisms.
• Increases or re-states funding and budgetary language across public safety, education, and human services programs to support the new initiatives.

Funding & Implementation

• Public safety and enforcement

  • Appropriations to implement the SASW/large-capacity magazine rules, ERPO enhancements, ghost gun controls, and related enforcement activities.
  • Base expenditures for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to support ownership certification activities.

• Public awareness, violence prevention, and research

  • One-time funding for an ERPO public awareness campaign.
  • One-time funding for a violence prevention project/research center focusing on gun violence issues.

• School safety grants (including nonpublic schools)

  • One-time funding for school safety grants to nonpublic schools, with administrative caps and a defined application/award timeline.
  • Requires collaboration with the Minnesota School Safety Center and multi-year reporting on grant recipients and how funds were used.

• Mental health and health care provider supports

  • One-time funding for school-linked behavioral health grants, startup grants for family peer specialists, and mobile crisis grants.
  • One-time adjustments to mental health reimbursement rates under the Medical Assistance program.

• Education-related safety funding

  • Additional one-time funding for school safety aid programs (based on enrollment and other factors) to support districts, charter schools, and tribal schools.

• Implementation oversight

  • Specific agencies involved include the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Public Safety, Department of Education, and related health and human services bodies.
  • Funding durations cover fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with some base appropriations set to be available in 2028 or later as described in the bill.

Potential Impacts

• Public safety: Stricter regulations on SASWs and large-capacity magazines, plus enhanced enforcement tools and reporting.
• School safety: Increased resources and processes to prevent, identify, and respond to threats in schools, including anonymous reporting and safety grants.
• Mental health: Expanded funding and reimbursement to support mental health services, crisis response, and prevention.
• Administrative changes: New requirements for certification of firearm ownership records, reporting duties, and statute updates across multiple agencies.
• Community impact: Increased public awareness efforts around ERPOs and gun safety, with ongoing evaluation and reporting to legislators.

Relevant terms - semiautomatic military-style assault weapon (SASW) - large-capacity magazines - ghost guns - extreme risk protection orders (ERPO) - binary trigger ban - anonymous threat reporting systems - school safety aid - nonpublic school grants - school safety grants - school-linked behavioral health grants - mobile crisis grants - mental health reimbursement rates - certification of ownership (BCA) - Department of Public Safety - Office of Justice Programs - Minnesota School Safety Center - medical assistance (MA) mental health reimbursement - firearms discharge reporting - negligent storage of firearms - firearms possession on school grounds - gun policy statutory amendments - licensing/ownership data reporting