The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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March 23, 2009

Uncased bill advances

By Mark Fischenich

A bill allowing Minnesota hunters to have uncased guns in vehicles and boats in certain situations, which has drawn support from hunting groups and opposition from law enforcement associations, continued its advance through the legislative committee process Monday.

State Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder, is a co-sponsor of the legislation and was watching as it passed the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

“It’s got popular support — deer hunters and water fowl associations,” Cornish said.

But he expects the bill to hit serious opposition from law enforcement agencies in upcoming committees.

“Law enforcement is going to try to stop it in the committees — Judiciary over here (in the Senate) and Public Safety Policy in the House,” said Cornish, who is both a hunter and police chief in Lake Crystal. “They don’t, so far, produce one thread of evidence that it’s an officer safety issue.”

State law currently requires guns to be cased when in vehicles, an inconvenience for hunters, and in moving motorized boats, a problem when waterfowl hunters are pursuing a wounded duck.

The Minnesota Sheriffs Association supports current law to reduce the potential for accidental shootings and the temptation of hunters to engage in illegal road-side hunting.

Backers of the change have amended their legislation to allow uncased guns in vehicles only if the weapons are unloaded, and law enforcement groups didn’t speak against the bill Monday. Cornish predicted that will change in coming hearings before committees made up of members more skeptical of the legislation.

The bill, which had its first Senate hearing Monday, has passed two committees in the House.

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