Walz says he will call special session ‘one way or another’ on gun control

Gov. Tim Walz said he will call a special legislative session to push for gun control in the wake of the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, even if he isn’t able to strike a deal with lawmakers.

“I will call a special session one way or another,” Walz told reporters Tuesday after meeting with Republican and Democratic legislative leaders behind closed doors. “Just have the hope. Just bring it up. Have the discussion.… Maybe it doesn’t pass because the numbers aren’t there, but at least we’re going to know.”

The governor typically calls a special session once lawmakers agree on what bills will be passed and the duration of the session. Walz has the sole ability to call a special session, but only lawmakers can gavel it to a close, which is typically why the governor and lawmakers come to an agreement beforehand.

By pushing ahead with what could be a quixotic effort in the face of GOP intransigence on new gun laws, Walz is signaling that he’s looking to get Republicans on the record on gun proposals – and especially an assault weapons ban – even if there’s no hope for legislation, which could translate into a rancorous session.

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Walz said he will propose a gun control package in the coming days. It will include a ban on the heavy weaponry frequently used in mass shootings — often referred to as assault weapons.

Republicans – who are strongly aligned with the gun rights movement and led by Speaker Lisa Demuth –  have 67 members in the Minnesota House, while Democrats have 66 in their ranks following the June assassination of Democratic-Farmer-Labor caucus leader Melissa Hortman. After a Sept. 16 special election, the House is expected to return to a tie.

The Minnesota Senate also has two absences after the death of Sen. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo, and the resignation of Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury. Any bill needs 34 votes to pass, meaning all 33 Democrats would need to vote together with at least one Republican joining them.

This means that any legislation proposed in a special session will need bipartisan approval.

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Senate Democrats voting in a unified bloc for gun control is no sure thing; at least three Democratic senators – Grant Hauschild of Hermantown, Rob Kupec of Moorhead and Judy Seeberger of Afton – have been difficult to pin down on where they stand on an assault weapons ban. 

Walz is hoping the shooting of a church filled with schoolchildren will pressure at least a few Republicans to vote for gun control, perhaps suburban members concerned about voters’ anger with their inaction. Demuth said she would need to look at specific bill language before she could say if her caucus would vote for it.

“House Republicans are committed to making sure that we are keeping our schools and our communities safe,” Demuth said.

Her caucus last week released a “school safety agenda” in response to the Annunciation shooting that didn’t include any proposals on gun control. Instead, it called for increased funding for safety at private schools, boosting funding for more mental health treatment beds and increasing penalties for repeat firearm offenders. Their agenda also includes reversing a conversion therapy ban for minors, which would allow therapists to try to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender.

DFL Rep. Zack Stephenson, whose caucus elected him its new leader Monday, said in his first appearance that he hopes Republicans will listen to the families affected by gun violence because they are demanding lawmakers take action.

“The reason I’m standing before you all right now is because of an act of gun violence,” said Stephenson, referring to Hortman’s assassination. “That’s the reason I’m here.” Hortman had been a mentor to Stephenson.

Walz and legislative leaders will continue to meet behind closed doors to see if they can come to a pre-session agreement. Walz said he would like to call a special session “sooner rather than later” but didn’t give specifics.

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared Sept. 9 in the Minnesota Reformer. It was written by Michelle Griffith, who covers Minnesota politics and policy for the Reformer, with a focus on marginalized communities.

Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501(c)(3) public charity.