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HF 2897

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/28/2016 08:09am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Bill Text Versions

Engrossments
Introduction Posted on 03/10/2016

Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
relating to public safety; requiring criminal background checks for firearm
transfers; excepting certain transfers; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014,
sections 609.66, by adding a subdivision; 624.7132, subdivision 12; proposing
coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 624; repealing Minnesota
Statutes 2014, sections 609.66, subdivision 1f; 624.7132, subdivision 14.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 609.66, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:


new text begin Subdivision 1i. new text end

new text begin Transfer without background check. new text end

new text begin A transferor who voluntarily
transfers a firearm, or a transferee who voluntarily receives a firearm, in violation of
section 624.7134:
new text end

new text begin (1) for a first conviction, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor; and
new text end

new text begin (2) for a second or subsequent conviction, is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced
to imprisonment for not more than two years or to payment of a fine of not more than
$5,000, or both.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 624.7132, subdivision 12, is amended to read:


Subd. 12.

Exclusions.

Except as otherwise provided in section 609.66, subdivision
deleted text begin 1fdeleted text end
new text begin 1inew text end , this section shall not apply to transfers of antique firearms as curiosities or for their
historical significance or value, transfers to or between federally licensed firearms dealers,
transfers by order of court, involuntary transfers, transfers at death or the following
transfers:

(1) a transfer by a person other than a federally licensed firearms dealer;

(2) new text begin a transfer facilitated by a federally licensed firearms dealer as provided in
section 624.7134;
new text end

new text begin (3) new text end a loan to a prospective transferee if the loan is intended for a period of no more
than one day;

deleted text begin (3)deleted text end new text begin (4)new text end the delivery of a pistol or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon to a
person for the purpose of repair, reconditioning or remodeling;

deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end a loan by a teacher to a student in a course designed to teach marksmanship
or safety with a pistol and approved by the commissioner of natural resources;

deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end a loan between persons at a firearms collectors exhibition;

deleted text begin (6)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end a loan between persons lawfully engaged in hunting or target shooting if the
loan is intended for a period of no more than 12 hours;

deleted text begin (7)deleted text end new text begin (8)new text end a loan between law enforcement officers who have the power to make arrests
other than citizen arrests; and

deleted text begin (8)deleted text end new text begin (9)new text end a loan between employees or between the employer and an employee in a
business if the employee is required to carry a pistol or semiautomatic military-style assault
weapon by reason of employment and is the holder of a valid permit to carry a pistol.

Sec. 3.

new text begin [624.7134] TRANSFERS BY UNLICENSED PERSONS; BACKGROUND
CHECK REQUIRED.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) As used in this section, the following terms have
the meanings given them.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Federally licensed firearms dealer" means a person who is licensed by the
United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives, under United States Code, title 18, section 923(a).
new text end

new text begin (c) "Firearm" has the meaning given in section 609.666, subdivision 1, paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin (d) "Law enforcement agency" has the meaning given in section 626.84, subdivision
1, paragraph (f).
new text end

new text begin (e) "Peace officer" has the meaning given in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph
(c).
new text end

new text begin (f) "Person" means an individual; corporation; business trust; estate; trust;
partnership; limited liability company; association; joint venture; government;
governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; or any other legal or commercial
entity.
new text end

new text begin (g) "Transfer" means a sale, gift, loan, assignment, or other delivery to another,
whether or not for consideration, of a firearm.
new text end

new text begin (h) "Transferee" means an unlicensed person who wishes or intends to receive a
transfer from another unlicensed person, whether or not for consideration.
new text end

new text begin (i) "Transferor" means an unlicensed person who wishes or intends to make a
transfer to another unlicensed person, whether or not for consideration.
new text end

new text begin (j) "Unlicensed person" means a person who does not hold a license under United
States Code, title 18, section 923(a).
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Background check required. new text end

new text begin Except as provided in this section:
new text end

new text begin (1) each transfer of a firearm occurring in whole or in part in the state shall be
preceded by a background check on the transferee; and
new text end

new text begin (2) no transferor shall transfer a firearm, and no transferee shall receive a firearm,
unless the transferee first complies with this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Background check conducted by federally licensed firearms dealer.
new text end

new text begin Where both parties to a prospective firearm transfer are unlicensed persons, the transferor
and transferee shall appear jointly before a federally licensed firearms dealer with the
firearm and request that the federally licensed firearms dealer conduct a background check
on the transferee and facilitate the transfer.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Compliance with law. new text end

new text begin Except as otherwise provided in this section, a
federally licensed firearms dealer who agrees to facilitate a transfer under this section shall:
new text end

new text begin (1) process the transfer as though transferring the firearm from its own inventory to
the transferee; and
new text end

new text begin (2) comply with all requirements of federal and state law that would apply if the
firearms dealer were making the transfer, including at a minimum all background check
and record keeping requirements.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Transfer prohibited. new text end

new text begin If the transferee is prohibited by federal law from
purchasing or possessing the firearm, or not entitled under state law to possess the firearm,
neither the federally licensed firearms dealer nor the transferor shall transfer the firearm to
the transferee.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Leaving firearm with federally licensed dealer. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding any
other law to the contrary, this section shall not prevent the transferor from:
new text end

new text begin (1) removing the firearm from the premises of the federally licensed firearms dealer,
or the gun show or event where the federally licensed firearms dealer is conducting
business, as applicable, while the background check is being conducted, provided that the
transferor must return to the federally licensed firearms dealer with the transferee before
the transfer takes place, and the federally licensed firearms dealer must take possession of
the firearm in order to complete the transfer; and
new text end

new text begin (2) removing the firearm from the business premises of the federally licensed
firearms dealer if the results of the background check indicate the transferee is prohibited
by federal law from purchasing or possessing the firearm, or not entitled under state
law to possess the firearm.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Report of transfer not required. new text end

new text begin As provided under section 624.7132,
subdivision 12, paragraph (1), where both parties to a firearm transfer are unlicensed
persons, there is no requirement to make a transfer report either for the unlicensed persons
or for the federally licensed firearms dealer facilitating the transfer.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Dealer fee. new text end

new text begin A federally licensed firearms dealer may charge a reasonable
fee for conducting a background check and facilitating a transfer between the transferor
and transferee pursuant to this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Exclusions. new text end

new text begin This section shall not apply to the following transfers:
new text end

new text begin (1) a transfer by or to a federally licensed firearms dealer;
new text end

new text begin (2) a transfer by or to any law enforcement agency or, to the extent an employee
of the agency is acting within the course and scope of employment and official duties, a
peace officer; law enforcement officer; corrections officer; member of the armed forces
of the United States, the National Guard, or the Reserves of the United States armed
forces; federal law enforcement officer; or security guard employed by a protective agent
licensed pursuant to chapter 326;
new text end

new text begin (3) a transfer between immediate family members, which for the purposes
of this section means spouses, domestic partners, parents, step-parents, children,
step-children, siblings, step-siblings, grandparents, step-grandparents, grandchildren,
and step-grandchildren;
new text end

new text begin (4) a transfer to an executor, administrator, trustee, or personal representative of
an estate or a trust that occurs by operation of law upon the death of the former owner
of the firearm;
new text end

new text begin (5) a transfer of an antique firearm as defined in section 624.712, subdivision 3;
new text end

new text begin (6) a transfer of a curio or relic, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 27,
section 478.11, if the transfer is between collectors of firearms as curios or relics as defined
by United States Code, title 18, section 921(a)(13), who each have in their possession
a valid collector of curio and relics license issued by the United States Department of
Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;
new text end

new text begin (7) a temporary transfer to a transferee who is not prohibited by federal law from
purchasing or possessing firearms, and is entitled under state law to possess firearms,
if the transfer:
new text end

new text begin (i) is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm; and
new text end

new text begin (ii) lasts only as long as immediately necessary to prevent imminent death or great
bodily harm; and
new text end

new text begin (8) a temporary transfer if the transferor has no reason to believe that the transferee
will use or intends to use the firearm in the commission of a crime and the transfer occurs
and the transferee's possession of the firearm following the transfer is only:
new text end

new text begin (i) at a shooting range that operates in compliance with the performance standards
under chapter 87A or is a nonconforming use under section 87A.03, subdivision 2; or, if
compliance is not required by the governing body of the jurisdiction, at an established
shooting range operated consistently with local law in the jurisdiction;
new text end

new text begin (ii) at a lawfully organized competition involving the use of a firearm, or while
participating in or practicing for a performance by an organized group that uses firearms
as part of the performance;
new text end

new text begin (iii) while hunting or trapping if the hunting or trapping is legal in all places where
the transferee possesses the firearm and the transferee holds all licenses or permits
required for hunting or trapping; or
new text end

new text begin (iv) while in the actual presence of the transferor; provided that any transfer under
this clause is permitted only if the transferor has no reason to believe that the transferee is
prohibited by federal law from buying or possessing firearms or not entitled under state law
to possess firearms, or if the transferee is under 18 years of age and is receiving the firearm
under direct supervision and control of an adult, that the adult is prohibited by federal law
from buying or possessing firearms or not entitled under state law to possess firearms.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 609.66, subdivision 1f; and 624.7132, subdivision
14,
new text end new text begin are repealed.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 4 are effective August 1, 2017, and apply to crimes committed on or
after that date.
new text end