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Committee considers sales-tax exemption for firearm safety devices; privacy language debated
Summary
Senate File 11 would extend sales-tax exemption to firearm safety devices such as trigger and cable locks; the bill includes language making information about purchases private data and the committee discussed potential conflicts with existing statute. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion.
Senate File 11, presented Jan. 21 by Senator Rest, would extend Minnesota—s sales-tax exemption to certain firearm safety devices and secure storage units, including trigger locks and cable locks.
Sponsor Senator Rest said the bill expands a 2023 exemption for gun safes to include additional safety devices; an amendment added language clarifying that any information collected by government about purchases of these devices would be private data under Minnesota—s Government Data Practices Act.
Senator Jaskowski questioned whether the new language conflicted with existing statutory protections that prohibit sellers from being required to collect or transmit personal data. Ms. Pollack, a Department of Revenue staff member, told the committee the language is the same as last year and that private sellers generally are not subject to the Data Practices Act unless they have a contract with a government entity. Pollack said the provision is intended to ensure that if government entities do collect purchase information in the future, data about individuals would be treated as private or nonpublic.
Senator Rest said the provision is protective and preemptive, intended to prevent public disclosure of this information if statutory changes elsewhere required collection in the future. The department—s revenue analysis noted a modest fiscal impact beginning in 2025 and referenced market data that about 3.3% of new firearm purchases are accompanied by a trigger or cable lock, using that assumption to project revenue changes over time.
Rob Dorr of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus was scheduled to testify but did not present. The committee laid Senate File 11 over for possible inclusion.
No final roll-call vote was taken on the exemption during the hearing.
