Bill HF2449, SF1596

Session 2025

Bill Introduced By
Frances Pickar
South High School
House

House Author
Frances Pickar

A bill for an act relating to

Semiautomatic military-style assault weapon sale or transfer prohibited, buyback program authorized for semiautomatic military-style assault weapons, and money appropriated.

View HF2449 SF1596 at revisor.mn.gov

Committee Hearing

Path	Committee	Action
1	Judiciary Committee	In Committee
2	Ways and Means Committee	No Action Taken
3	Rules Committee	No Action Taken

Legislative Action

	Action
House	No Action Taken
Senate	No Action Taken
Governor	No Action Taken

Select Amendment

1.1          A bill for an act
1.2          relating to public safety; prohibiting the sale or transfer of a semiautomatic
1.3          military-style assault weapon; authorizing a buyback program for semiautomatic
1.4          military-style assault weapons; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes
1.5          2024, section 624.712, subdivision 7; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
1.6          Statutes, chapter 624.
1.7          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8          Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 624.712, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
1.9                          Subd. 7.Semiautomatic military-style assault weapon. (a) "Semiautomatic
1.10       military-style assault weapon" means:
1.11       (1) any of the following firearms:
1.12       (i) Avtomat Kalashnikov (AK-47) semiautomatic rifle type;
1.13       (ii) Beretta AR-70 and BM-59 semiautomatic rifle types;
1.14       (iii) Colt AR-15 semiautomatic rifle type;
1.15       (iv) Daewoo Max-1 and Max-2 semiautomatic rifle types;
1.16       (v) Famas MAS semiautomatic rifle type;
1.17       (vi) Fabrique Nationale FN-LAR and FN-FNC semiautomatic rifle types;
1.18       (vii) Galil semiautomatic rifle type;
1.19       (viii) Heckler & Koch HK-91, HK-93, and HK-94 semiautomatic rifle types;
1.20       (ix) Ingram MAC-10 and MAC-11 semiautomatic pistol and carbine types;
1.21       (x) Intratec TEC-9 semiautomatic pistol type;
2.1          (xi) Sigarms SIG 550SP and SIG 551SP semiautomatic rifle types;
2.2          (xii) SKS with detachable magazine semiautomatic rifle type;
2.3          (xiii) Steyr AUG semiautomatic rifle type;
2.4          (xiv) Street Sweeper and Striker-12 revolving-cylinder shotgun types;
2.5          (xv) USAS-12 semiautomatic shotgun type;
2.6          (xvi) Uzi semiautomatic pistol and carbine types; or
2.7          (xvii) Valmet M76 and M78 semiautomatic rifle types;
2.8          (2) any firearm that is another model made by the same manufacturer as one of the
2.9          firearms listed in clause (1), and has the same action design as one of the listed firearms,
2.10       and is a redesigned, renamed, or renumbered version of one of the firearms listed in clause
2.11       (1), or has a slight modification or enhancement, including but not limited to a folding or
2.12       retractable stock; adjustable sight; case deflector for left-handed shooters; shorter barrel;
2.13       wooden, plastic, or metal stock; larger clip size; different caliber; or a bayonet mount; and
2.14       (3) any firearm that has been manufactured or sold by another company under a licensing
2.15       agreement with a manufacturer of one of the firearms listed in clause (1) entered into after
2.16       the effective date of Laws 1993, chapter 326, to manufacture or sell firearms that are identical
2.17       or nearly identical to those listed in clause (1), or described in clause (2), regardless of the
2.18       company of production or country of origin.
2.19       The weapons listed in clause (1), except those listed in items (iii), (ix), (x), (xiv), and (xv),
2.20       are the weapons the importation of which was barred by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
2.21       and Firearms of the United States Department of the Treasury in July 1989.
2.22       ~~Except as otherwise specifically provided in paragraph (d), a firearm is not a~~
2.23       ~~"semiautomatic military-style assault weapon" if it is generally recognized as particularly~~
2.24       ~~suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes under United States Code, title 18,~~
2.25       ~~section 925, paragraph (d)(3), or any regulations adopted pursuant to that law.~~
2.26       (b) Semiautomatic military-style assault weapon also includes any:
2.27       (1) semiautomatic rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and has
2.28       one or more of the following:
2.29       (i) a pistol grip or thumbhole stock;
2.30       (ii) any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the
2.31       nontrigger hand;
3.1          (iii) a folding or telescoping stock; or
3.2          (iv) a shroud attached to the barrel, or that partially or completely encircles the barrel,
3.3          allowing the bearer to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned, but
3.4          excluding a slide that encloses the barrel;
3.5          (2) semiautomatic pistol, or any semiautomatic, centerfire, or rimfire rifle with a fixed
3.6          magazine that has the capacity to accept more than ten rounds of ammunition;
3.7          (3) semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and has
3.8          one or more of the following:
3.9          (i) any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the
3.10       nontrigger hand;
3.11       (ii) a folding, telescoping, or thumbhole stock;
3.12       (iii) a shroud attached to the barrel, or that partially or completely encircles the barrel,
3.13       allowing the bearer to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned, but
3.14       excluding a slide that encloses the barrel; or
3.15       (iv) the capacity to accept a detachable magazine at any location outside of the pistol
3.16       grip;
3.17       (4) semiautomatic shotgun that has one or more of the following:
3.18       (i) a pistol grip or thumbhole stock;
3.19       (ii) any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the
3.20       nontrigger hand;
3.21       (iii) a folding or telescoping stock;
3.22       (iv) a fixed magazine capacity in excess of ten rounds; or
3.23       (v) an ability to accept a detachable magazine;
3.24       (5) shotgun with a revolving cylinder; or
3.25       (6) conversion kit, part, or combination of parts from which an assault weapon can be
3.26       assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control of the same person.
3.27       Semiautomatic military-style assault weapon does not mean any firearm described in this
3.28       paragraph that has been made permanently inoperable.

4.1          Sec. 2. [624.7145] SEMIAUTOMATIC MILITARY-STYLE ASSAULT WEAPONS;
4.2          TRANSFER PROHIBITED.
4.3                          Subdivision 1.Definition. As used in this section, "transfer" means a sale, gift, loan,
4.4          assignment, or other delivery to another, whether or not for consideration.
4.5                          Subd. 2.Prohibition. It is unlawful for a person to transfer a semiautomatic military-style
4.6          assault weapon.
4.7                          Subd. 3.Exceptions. Subdivision 2 does not apply to a transfer:
4.8          (1) between any government officer, agent, or employee; member of the armed forces
4.9          of the United States; or peace officer for official use by the recipient; or
4.10       (2) by a dealer that is properly licensed under applicable laws to any branch of the armed
4.11       forces of the United States or to a law enforcement agency within Minnesota for use by that
4.12       agency or its employees for law enforcement.
4.13                       Subd. 4.Penalty. A person who violates subdivision 2 is guilty of a felony and may be
4.14       sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more
4.15       than $25,000, or both.

4.16       EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2024, and applies to crimes
4.17       committed on or after that date.

4.18       Sec. 3. SEMIAUTOMATIC MILITARY-STYLE ASSAULT WEAPON BUYBACK
4.19       PROGRAM; APPROPRIATION.
4.20                      Subdivision 1.Program established. (a) The commissioner of public safety shall establish
4.21       a statewide buyback program to purchase semiautomatic military-style assault weapons.
4.22       The program must accept any semiautomatic military-style assault weapon offered, regardless
4.23       of the weapon's physical condition, and pay reimbursement at a rate set by the commissioner.
4.24       To implement this section, the commissioner may collaborate with state and local law
4.25       enforcement agencies to provide buyback locations throughout the state.
(b) A person participating in this program is not in violation of Minnesota Statutes, section 624.7145, subdivision 2.4.26                         Subd. 2.Appropriation. $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are
4.27       appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of public safety to implement this
4.28       section.

4.29       Sec. 4. REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
4.30      The revisor of statutes shall make necessary changes to Minnesota Statutes to reflect
4.31       the changes made in this act that prohibit the transfer of semiautomatic military-style assault
5.1          weapons. The revisor may make other necessary technical and grammatical changes to
5.2          accomplish this.

Author
Frances Pickar
South High School
House

Essay

On August 27th, 2025 the lives of 8 year old Fletcher Merkel, and 10 year old Harper Moyski were taken by a 5.56 AR- 15-style semi-automatic rifle. 116 rounds were shot from that gun. The flag of the United States of America was flown at half mast for 5 days. Thousands of people attended vigils in the weeks following the shooting that will forever affect Annunciation Catholic Church and School. Our streets and our country mourned what were just more innocent lives taken in our growing state of submission to gun violence. Bill HF2449, calls to prohibit the sale or transfer of semiautomatic military-style assault weapons, and instate a buyback program for these assault weapons. By voting to pass Bill HF2449, the reality of aggressive weaponry defining our American streets could be limited. The end to the circulation of these assault weapons could not only expand the safety of our state, but save the lives of our future children.

On September 13th 1994 president Bill Clinton passed the “Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act” a life saving bill that banned the civilian use of assault weapons across the nation. A 2019 DiMaggio study looked at mass shooting data from 1981 to 2017 and found that mass-shooting fatalities were 70% less likely to occur during the federal ban period. The act expired 10 years later in 2004, and the mass shooting rate of our country increased once again. According to Everytown, an organization founded partially by moms after the Sandy Hook shooting, it's estimated that if the law remained in effect through 2019, it would have prevented 30 mass shootings that killed 339 people and injured 1,139 more. 10 states have adopted an assault weapon ban in their own governments, such as California, Illinois, and New York. Adding Minnesota to this list by passing Bill HF2449 would not only possibly save lives, but solidify our undeniable future as a democratic state in our current country.

Did you know assault weapons are referred to as “uniquely lethal”? Between 2015 and 2022, mass shootings where assault weapons were present wounded 23 times as many people per incident on average. Their rapid rate of fire and high muzzle velocity come off as appealing for fast, and efficient violence. Some large capacity magazines can hold over 100 rounds of ammunition. Brady United, an American non-profit that advocates against gun violence claims 155% more people are shot at incidents where these large capacity magazines were present. In 2023, 18% of mass shootings involved an assault weapon. Yet, those mass shootings counted for 28% of all firearm-related deaths when over 58% of all deaths comes from firearm suicides. Why do we keep these violent guns on our streets and accessible to civilians who may have the wrong intentions? When the United States lies at the forefront of gun death rates, making steps such as passing Bill 2449 and other gun control legislation could put a new stone in our neverending path to end gun violence.

I fear that one day my little cousin won’t come home from school. I fear that loud bang that just echoed through my school’s hallways wasn’t a door slamming. The conservatives of our country fear their guns will be taken away. They fear this because of their own anxieties about the safety of their families, their right to hunt, and the safety of their own life. Bill HF2449 is not trying to dismantle those rights of gun-bearing Americans. We must ask ourselves, why would anybody need a high capacity assault rifle? When these guns are often the weapon of choice for mass shooters, taking these unusually lethal guns off our streets finds itself to be a necessary action for prevention. Handguns for the purpose of home defense and others will be respected. Other lower capacity rifles used for hunting will be respected However, access to other high capacity magazine weapons has proven itself to be a tragically consistent factor in mass shootings. When facing fear about guns being taken away- we must turn to the fear of our children dying; this fear being current and occurring in our own Minnesota cities. By voting to pass Bill HF2449, we can participate in societal confrontation and action towards these lethal weapons, and that fear in us all can grow a little quieter.

30 others were wounded in the shooting of Annunciation Catholic Church and School. That very 5.56 AR- 15-style semi-automatic rifle that took the lives of Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski would be inaccessible to a civilian in our state with the passing of Bill HF2449. When we look at the state of our country, 374 shootings that consisted of four or more victims have already taken place in 2025. That's more than one shooting each day. The ban and buyback program of military assault weapons has been seen as successful before. We have a chance to take these uniquely violent guns off our streets. Face our fears and take action by supporting Bill HF2449. Vote to pass Bill HF2449 for the security of our American lives. Vote to pass Bill HF2449 for that fearful voice in your head every time you step into a school. Vote to pass Bill HF2449 so Minnesota can join the 10 states that are working to make the United States a safer nation, where the lives of our citizens are not tested every day they step outside.

There are currently no votes for this bill.