Updated: 02/07/2013 9:39 PM
Created: 02/07/2013 12:20 PM KSTC45.com | Print Story | Email
By: Kate Renner

Day 3 Gun Hearing; Hope of Compromise

The third and final day of the House gun-related hearing started this morning. At least a dozen bills are on the table and have been discussed over these past three days.

Thursday morning a bill was introduced that might have the best chance at garnering the support of gun owners. It's aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of violent repeat criminals.

"It's carefully drafted to deal with people who are an existing social problem," said Joseph Olson, President of Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance.

HF285 the support of the Minnesota County Attorney's Association. In it juveniles who are found with a gun twice would be treated as felons. And acts of domestic violence involving strangulation would be felony charges.

"The spirit of this bill is it goes after human beings who have committed serious crimes. Rape, robbery, murder, use firearm to facility, what we're opposed to is anything that goes after the firearm itself," said Olson.

Minneapolis Council member Don Samuels brought in 100 African American middle school boys to put a different face on the issue of gun violence. Samuels saying the gun rights debate shouldn't be about hunting, but the most vulnerable in our society. Samuels says many times this demographic of young African American boys is the most likely to die from gun violence.

On the docket for tonight's hearing is a bill to require a permit to purchase body armor and a bill to limit magazines able to carry more than 10 rounds of ammunition.