st. Paul Enacts Assault Weapon Ban, Faces Immediate Legal Challenge
ST. PAUL, MN – The St. Paul City Council on Wednesdayโ passed a sweeping ordinance banning assault weapons, large-capacity magazines, and “ghost guns,” while also restricting firearms in sensitive โpublicโ spaces. The move comes โasโ the city anticipates potential changes to state preemptionโข laws, but was promptly met with โaโ lawsuit from gun rights groups.
Mayor โMelvin Carter hailed the ordinance as โa โคcrucial step towards public safety. “Saint Paul stands ready โto act onโ day one when the state lifts preemption,” Carter said. “This ordinance represents a collective effort by local leaders taking โคa long-overdue stepโ to protect our children, families, and neighbors. Too many have suffered the unimaginable while others โคdebated. ItS time for state leaders to meet us in this moment of urgency โฃand safeguard โthe future our childrenโ deserve.”
The ordinance, which cannot โคtake effect untilโฃ state preemption laws are lifted, outlines five key โขprovisions:
* A ban on the possession of โฃassault weapons, large-capacity magazines, and binary triggersโ withinโฃ cityโค limits.
* โข A prohibitionโ of untraceable “ghost โguns” โby requiring all firearms to have โserial numbers.
* โฃ Restrictions on firearms in sensitive public spaces, including parks, libraries, โขrecreation centers, and city buildings.
* mandatory signage in public facilities to informโค residents of the restrictions.
* โ Defined enforcement authorityโ and penalties, contingent on the state repealing or amendingโ preemption law.
The ordinance โขincludes exemptions for active-duty law enforcement and military personnel, licensed federal firearms curators, and individuals transporting firearms through the city, provided the guns are unloaded, locked, and safely stored.
St. Paul is the first city in a coalition of Minnesota elected officials to formally enact legislation of this kind.
However, just hours after theโ ordinance passed, the minnesota Gun Owners โฃCaucus and โthe Minnesota โGun Owners Law Center โfiledโข a lawsuit challenging its legality. The groups argue the measure violates state law, which currently prevents cities from enacting their own โขfirearm restrictions.
“Our โฃmembers are harmed โas the city is doing something that theyโ don’t have the authority to do,” said Robโ Doar,president of theโ Gun Owners Law Center and general counselโฃ for the Minnesota โคGun Owners Caucus. “Local units of โgovernment only have the legislative โauthority that the โstate constitution and state statutes give them.”
Mayor Carter โคresponded to the lawsuit, stating, “Weโฃ said from the beginning that state law bars us from enforcing basic provisions like requiring every gun to have aโ serial number. The only thing more absurd is the MN Gun Owners Caucus suing to โคprove us right.”
City Attorney Lyndsey Olson affirmed the city’s readiness to defend its authority, stating, “The City is ready to defend ourโข authority to prepare for โฃswift public-safety action-while respecting the rights โof responsible gunโ owners-if state preemption is โever lifted.” Olson also noted thatโฃ “contingent ordinances areโ a common legalโฃ tool” and have not previously been found to violate state firearm preemption law.