Saint Paul Council adopts local firearms ordinance; says it will take effect only if state preemption is lifted

The Saint Paul City Council voted unanimously Nov. 5 to adopt Ordinance 25-65, creating local firearms regulations that target assault weapons, binary triggers, ghost guns and related signage. Council President Naker put the ordinance before the body for final adoption after an extended round of remarks by members describing recent mass shootings and local impacts.

Councilmember Joest, who introduced the measure, described the ordinance as “four common sense gun safety laws that our community is asking for” and said she would vote yes. Joest urged action despite limits on municipal power, acknowledging “these laws will only take effect if the state preemption law is lifted.”

Several members gave personal accounts and emphasized public-safety goals. Councilmember Yang said testimony at the recent hearing “stuck with me … with the focus on our kids,” and Vice President Kim described the measures as “the least of what we can do to stop gun violence.” Councilmember Coleman recounted being sworn in the day a mass shooting occurred nearby and framed the ordinance as a democratic response to repeated federal and state inaction.

The ordinance was presented as part of a broader multijurisdictional push led by Mayor Carter and other Minnesota cities; staff confirmed the city’s legal authority to pass the ordinance but acknowledged enforcement depends on whether state preemption is changed. The council completed the final adoption by voice vote, recorded as 7 in favor, none opposed.

Next steps: the ordinance will be added to the city code; city staff and legal counsel will track whether state action or litigation affects enforceability. No implementation timeline was specified in the ordinance itself.

The vote: 7–0 in favor.