HF 42

Conference Committee Report - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to firearms; authorizing the use of silencers
to muffle discharges of firearms for natural resource
wildlife control; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004,
section 609.66, subdivisions 1h, 2.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.66,
subdivision 1h, is amended to read:

Subd. 1h.

Silencers; authorized for law enforcement new text begin and
natural resource wildlife control new text end purposes.

Notwithstanding
subdivision 1a, paragraph (a), clause (1), licensed peace
officers new text begin and natural resource officers new text end may use devices designed
to silence or muffle the discharge of a firearm for tactical
emergency response operations. Tactical emergency response
operations include execution of high risk search and arrest
warrants, incidents of terrorism, hostage rescue, and any other
tactical deployments involving high risk circumstances. The
chief law enforcement officer of a law enforcement agency that
has the need to use silencing devices must establish and enforce
a written policy governing the use of the devices.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.66,
subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Exceptions.

Nothing in this section prohibits new text begin :
new text end

new text begin (1) new text end the possession of the articles mentioned by museums or
collectors of art or for other lawful purposes of public
exhibition new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (2) the possession, use, and transportation of a silencer
by a government natural resource management agency for the
purpose of wildlife control. The principle director of each
natural resource management agency that has a need to use
silencing devices must establish and enforce a written policy
governing the use of the devices new text end .