Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) has abandoned plans for a special gun control session after his proposed “assault weapons” ban failed to gain traction in the legislature.
CBS News reported Walz saying, “If we’re going to hold a special session on safety of our children and safety of our streets and safety on gun violence, we need to talk about guns.”
He noted Republicans could block the bans, calling any special session “a waste of money and time.”
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus celebrated Walz’s retreat from the special session on X but urged supporters to keep pressuring lawmakers not to back down.
“Gov. Walz just blinked. After weeks of promising a gun control special session no matter what, he’s now backing off — because you turned up the heat. …It’s working,” stated the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus. “But it’s not over. Walz says he won’t call a special session unless there’s a deal. That means weak-kneed GOPers or DFLers-on-the-fence could still cave.”
Walz called for a special gun control session after a transgender male attacked a Minneapolis Catholic school in August, later pressuring Republicans to back an “assault weapons” ban and criticizing them for refusing.
“I guess there is a line in the sand. I was told by Republican leadership that there would never be a vote on guns, there wouldn’t be a vote on gun bans,” said Walz, according to FOX 9.
Walz called the GOP stance “unacceptable” and hinted at pursuing a state constitutional amendment to ban AR-15s and similar rifles, though his proposals have gained little traction so far.
