Posted 5/23/01 Concealed carry law pulled for this year By T.W. Budig ECM capitol reporter Efforts to make getting a gun permit easier in Minnesota may be over this session as a concealed carry amendment was pulled from the Senate floor after an unfavorable vote. Sen. Pat Pariseau, R, Farmington, author of the provision, said an amendment to her amendment that the Senate passed by a 34 to 32 vote essentially defeated the purpose of her legislation. The reason for her legislation was to end discriminatory discretion against gun permit applicants. ìAnd it brings it all back,î said Pariseau of the amendment. Offered by Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL, Red Wing, the amendment kept the gun training provision in Pariseauís legislation but changed the tenor of the amendment from a ìshallî issue to a ìmay issueî in regard to granting gun permits, charged opponents. But Murphy argued that by allowing an applicant turned down for a gun permit by a sheriff or police chief to take their case before an administrative law judge, his amendment addressed the basic issue that Minnesota gun permit law is unfair. Pariseau wasnít impressed ìAn administrative law judge is not where I want to go with this thing,î she said, speaking after the Senate floor debate. ìHe put in my training provision to make it (the amendment) better, but so what,î said Pariseau. The concealed carry initiative in the Senate was over for this session, she indicated. Senate floor debate on the bill, which was interrupted by a power outage, was emotional and protracted. Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe, DFL, Erskine, said the review process included in Murphyís amendment was proper but that it would be a serious mistake to change current state gun permit law further. Sen Doug Johnson, DFL, Tower, in an passionate speech, said the Pariseau amendment was really about guaranteeing the rights of citizens. ìThe focus should not be on the bad people whoíll get the permits. Focus should be on the good people getting permits,î said Johnson. Minnesota law discriminates against women because it leaves them vulnerable to crime, Johnson argued. Sen. Deanna Wiener, DFL, Eagan, said to her the concealed carry debate seemed like a Marketing 101 class. Itís an attempt by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to instill fear in women in an attempt to boost gun sales, she said. Sen Linda Scheid, DFL, Brooklyn Park, said she was a co-author on the concealed carry legislation but wonders whether the legislation sufficiently details where people could carry guns and where they could not. Sen. Dan Stevens, R, Mora, said he keeps hearing about problems in Texas with concealed carry law but many other states ñ Mid-Atlantic states, for example ñ have similar laws and yet no one mentions them. ìWhere are the horror stories from those states,î he said. Sen. Jane Krentz, DFL, May Township, said the administrative judge reviewing processing in Murphyís amendment addressed her concerns about current gun permit law. ìWeíre never going to please everyone,î said Krentz. But if it comes down to pleasing friends, family and her faith community or the NRA, the decision becomes easy, said Krentz. Pariseau, speaking after the floor session, said she has a tabled gun permit bill in the Senate Crime Prevention Committee so that might be a place to start next session. ìThe message is donít forget us, because weíre going to be back,î said Pariseau. She did believe the emotional gun debate could be conducted on a rational basis. ìWe can do it with data but they come back with emotional stuff,î she said, nodding towards the Senate Chamber. The House earlier this session passed a concealed carry provision. Concealed carry supporters say Minnesotaís current gun permit laws are unfair and capricious. ©Post Review