Full Breakdown
Minnesota Senate Passes Landmark Gun Violence Bill Amid Deep Party Divide
5/5/2026, 7:18:58 AM
Senate Approves Assault-Weapon Ban in Historic Vote
On May 4, 2026, the Minnesota Senate passed a comprehensive gun-violence package that bans assault-style firearms and high-capacity magazines. The measure cleared the chamber by a party-line 34-33 vote, marking the first time the Senate has approved such restrictions. The bill now proceeds to the Minnesota House, where a tied 67-67 composition makes passage uncertain.
Catalyst: Annunciation Church School Shooting
The legislation was drafted in response to the Aug. 27, 2025 attack at Annunciation Church School, where a shooter discharged 116 rounds in roughly two minutes, killing 11-year-old Harper Moyski and 12-year-old Fletcher Merkel and wounding more than 20 others. Families of the victims have been vocal advocates for stricter gun laws.
Provisions, Weapons List, and Funding
The bill bans the sale of assault weapons including AK-47, Beretta AR-70, BM-59, Colt AR-15, Daewoo Max-1/2, Famas MAS, FN-LAR, FN-FNC, Galil, HK-91/93/94, MAC-10/11, Intratec TEC-9, SIG 550SP/551SP, SKS, Steyr AUG, Street Sweeper, Striker-12, USAS-12, Uzi, Valmet M76/78, among others. It also prohibits magazines holding more than 17 rounds, ghost guns without serial numbers, and binary triggers. Funding components vary across reports: one source cites $20 million for school safety, another $19 million plus $2.7 million for behavioral-health grants and $1 million for non-public-school safety grants. The bill also earmarks money for mental-health counseling in schools.
Key Legislators and Stakeholders
- Erin Murphy, DFL Senate Majority Leader – championed the bill as a layered approach to protect children.
- Zaynab Mohamed (DFL, Minneapolis) – primary sponsor, worked with Annunciation parents.
- Grant Hauschild (DFL, Hermantown) – voted “yes” after personal outreach from victims’ families.
- Mark Johnson, Senate Republican Leader – criticized the vote as partisan.
- Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) and Julia Coleman (R) – voiced constitutional and safety concerns.
- Governor Tim Walz (DFL) – urged the House to act.
- Mike Moyski, father of Harper Moyski – prominent survivor advocate.
Official Statements & Responses
Senate Majority Leader Murphy said the legislation “protects our schools and children, invests in mental-health intervention, and keeps the most dangerous weapons off our streets.” Republican Leader Johnson argued Democrats “put politics first” and that the bill could have been crafted to win House support. Governor Walz posted that “it’s time for the House to act on guns.” Sponsor Mohamed emphasized the need to discuss the bill with caucus members before proceeding. Republican senators warned the measure could violate constitutional rights and potentially make schools more vulnerable.
Criticism & Opposition
Republicans labeled the proposal “extreme gun-control policy” that bundles firearms restrictions with school-safety funding, arguing it politicizes student safety. An amendment to separate the gun provisions failed on a party-line vote. Some GOP legislators, including Michael Holmstrom, declared they would not comply with the law if enacted. Critics also questioned the bill’s efficacy, noting that “guns don’t kill people; bad people do.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Today, the Senate stood up and voted to protect the lives of Minnesotans and to help prevent the unthinkable tragedies that have taken too many of our children, affected too many of our families and shattered the peace of too many of our schools and churches,” — Erin Murphy, Senate Majority Leader
- “ “Democrats have put politics first today.” — Mark Johnson, Senate Republican Leader
- “It's also a God-given right for a 9-year-old and a 10-year-old to live beyond that age.” — Mike Moyski, father of Harper Moyski
- “When I look at this bill before us today, I ask myself the most important question before us: Would anything in it have stopped the horrors of that day?” — Julia Coleman, Republican Senator
- “It's time for the House to act on guns.” — Tim Walz, Governor
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Funding figures differ: sources cite $20 million, $19 million, $2.7 million, and $1 million for various safety and mental-health programs. The House’s schedule is unclear; while some Republican aides said “God, no” to a vote, political analyst David Schultz called the Senate passage “the best chance” for the bill, highlighting uncertainty about its legislative fate.
What’s Next
With two weeks left in the session, the bill faces a tied House that must break party lines to advance. Republican leadership has signaled strong opposition, and a tie vote would defeat the measure. The issue is expected to feature prominently in the November elections, where both parties may use the bill’s outcome to mobilize voters.
