Judiciary committee advances and reviews a slate of public‑safety bills; funding, data and local control move forward

The Senate Judiciary Committee spent several hours on multiple public‑safety measures and related appropriations and oversight bills.

Key committee actions and votes

- Senate File 3836 (data classification for permit‑to‑carry): Sponsored by Chair Latz, the bill would change classification/retention of certain permit information; a government‑relations witness warned about privacy and cybersecurity risks if data access were expanded. The committee recommended the bill to pass and re‑refer it to the Senate floor.

- Senate File 3837 (public awareness for Extreme Risk Protection Orders): Sen. Latz offered a $100,000 appropriation as an amendment. Alexandra Fitzsimmons (Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota) testified that outreach could increase use of red‑flag tools; the committee adopted the amendment and laid the bill over for further consideration.

- Senate File 3561 (officer discharge reporting): Sen. Howe proposed adding make/model, caliber and accessory details to required reports when an officer discharges a firearm. Counsel recommended clarifying language to ensure reports go to the commissioner and POST board; committee adopted the language and added a five‑year sunset, then recommended the bill to pass.

- Senate File 1580 (Violence Prevention Project funding): Dr. Jillian Peterson presented the center’s mass‑shooting database and prevention work; several senators supported stable funding for evidence and prevention programs. The committee recommended the bill to pass as amended.

- Senate File 3929 (expungement access for permit eligibility checks): Sponsored by Sen. Seebeger, the bill would allow sheriffs and chiefs limited access to certain expunged records for the purpose of determining eligibility to purchase or carry firearms, with safeguards including notice and appeal. Sheriff Scott Habel testified for the Minnesota Sheriffs Association; the committee recommended the bill to pass.

- Senate File 2546 (wraparound mental‑health grants for juvenile facilities): Testimony described a statewide boarding crisis for youth with serious mental‑health needs and recommended state investment in high‑fidelity wraparound services; the bill was laid over for further work.

- Senate File 2320 (local authority to prohibit weapons on government property): Mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis supported letting local governments prohibit weapons in buildings and parks they own or lease; the NRA witness opposed on uniformity/preemption grounds. The committee adopted a technical effective‑date change and recommended the bill to pass and be referred to the State & Local Government Committee.

- Senate File 513 (Office of Gun Violence Prevention): The proposal creates an Office of Gun Violence Prevention at the Minnesota Department of Health to coordinate data and prevention strategies. Public‑health physicians and survivors supported the office. Opponents raised concerns about private grants and advocacy influence; committee adopted a transparency amendment requiring reporting of grants received and their uses and referred the bill to Health and Human Services.

Across the items, the committee repeatedly discussed definitions (large‑capacity magazine), administrative capacity (BCA, BCA rulemaking and data systems), and the balance between public‑safety tools and privacy/constitutional protections. Several bills were moved forward with authors’ amendments or added reporting requirements; others were laid over for additional drafting.