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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Bill Aims to Close MN Gun Show Loophole

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Monday, February 22, 2010   

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota House may soon decide whether to close what some call a "loophole" for gun sales at gun shows. A newly-introduced bill would require background checks for gun show purchases. Right now, those checks are only done when purchases are made from federally licensed dealers at those gun shows.

Heather Martens, executive director of Citizens for a Safer Minnesota, says a recent survey shows 82 percent of Minnesotans support background checks. She adds that a New York Times poll of National Rifle Association members nationally found almost 70 percent support the same idea.

The bottom line for her organization, Martens stresses, is keeping guns out of the wrong hands.

"I just can't imagine why Minnesota would stand by and allow that to keep happening. It's such an obvious thing to do to close off an avenue for felons, gun traffickers or domestic abusers to get guns."

Under the bill, unlicensed sellers would obtain the background check through a federally licensed dealer on the gun show site. Opponents have said they fear such a system would lead to a gun registry, or a waiting period for gun purchases. The bill's sponsors say neither assumption is true.

Martens says the bill would make sure that convicted felons, domestic abusers and people with dangerous mental illnesses would no longer be able to avoid background checks at gun shows.

"Is it okay that people can just go up to somebody at a gun show and not have to pass a background check, when we have a huge problem with illegal guns on the streets and a huge problem with gun violence?"

A similar bill didn't make it through the legislature last year. However, chief bill sponsor Rep. Michael Paymar says language in the bill was changed this year to make it clear no gun registry would be created, in order to satisfy those who raised concerns.

The New York Times survey is available at www.nytimes.com.




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