From the Press Release:

On May 7th, State Representative Tom Emmer [R-Delano] introduced the “Firearms Freedom Act,” legislation that will protect firearm owners and manufacturers in Minnesota from federal government restrictions on the lawful exercise of Second Amendment rights.

“For far too long elected officials and unelected bureaucrats at the federal level have passively forgotten or actively neglected the Tenth Amendment that guarantees rights not enumerated in the Constitution be left to the individual states,” said Rep. Emmer. “The willful disregard of the Tenth Amendment in relation to a citizen’s right to bear arms isn’t the only constitutional infringement that we should be worried about, but it is one that has been singled out by the new administration.”

The bill would exempt any personal firearm, firearm accessory or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in Minnesota and that remains within the boundaries of the state from federal law or regulation; including registration.

“The federal government shouldn’t be keeping track of citizens that are lawfully exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Rep. Emmer. “Now, more than ever, citizens need be vigilant when it comes to protecting their individual liberties.”

Read the full text of the legislation below:

A bill for an act relating to commerce; exempting from federal regulation under the commerce clause of the Constitution of the United States a firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition manufactured and retained in Minnesota;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 624.

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

Section 1. [624.7182] FIREARMS FREEDOM ACT.

Subdivision 1. Short title. Subdivisions 1 to 6 may be cited as the “Minnesota Firearms Freedom Act.”

Subd. 2. Declaration of authority. Legislative authority for this section derives from the following provisions:

(1) The tenth amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees to the states and their people all powers not granted to the federal government elsewhere in the Constitution and reserves to the state and people of Minnesota certain powers as they were understood at the time that Minnesota was admitted to statehood in 1858. The guaranty of those powers is a matter of contract between the state and people of Minnesota and the United States as of the time that the compact with the United States was agreed upon and adopted by Minnesota and the United States in 1858.

(2) The ninth amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees to the people rights not granted in the Constitution and reserves to the people of Minnesota certain rights as they were understood at the time that Minnesota was admitted to statehood in 1858. The guaranty of those rights is a matter of contract between the state and people of Minnesota and the United States as of the time that the compact with the United States was agreed upon and adopted by Minnesota and the United States in 1858.

(3) The regulation of intrastate commerce is vested in the states under the ninth and tenth amendments to the United States Constitution, particularly if not expressly preempted by federal law. Congress has not expressly preempted state regulation of intrastate commerce pertaining to the manufacture on an intrastate basis of firearms, firearms accessories, and ammunition.

(4) The second amendment to the United States Constitution reserves to the people the right to keep and bear arms as that right was understood at the time that Minnesota was admitted to statehood in 1858, and the guaranty of the right is a matter of contract between the state and people of Minnesota and the United States as of the time that the compact with the United States was agreed upon and adopted by Minnesota and the United States in 1858.

Subd. 3. Definitions. As used in subdivisions 1 to 6, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Firearms accessories” means items that are used in conjunction with or mounted upon a firearm but are not essential to the basic function of a firearm, including but not limited to telescopic or laser sights, ammunition magazines, flash or sound suppressors, folding or aftermarket stocks and grips, speedloaders, ammunition carriers, and lights for target illumination.

(2) “Generic and insignificant parts” includes but is not limited to springs, screws, nuts, and pins.

(3) “Manufactured” means that a firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition has been created from basic materials for functional usefulness, including but not limited to forging, casting, machining, or other processes for working materials.

Subd. 4. Prohibitions. (a) This subdivision applies to a firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured in Minnesota from basic materials and that can be manufactured without the inclusion of any significant parts imported from another state.

(b) A personal firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in Minnesota and that remains within the boundaries of the state of Minnesota is not subject to federal law or federal regulation, including registration, under the authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce. It is declared by the legislature that those items have not traveled in interstate commerce.

(c) Generic and insignificant parts that have other manufacturing or consumer product applications are not firearms, firearms accessories, or ammunition, and their importation into Minnesota and incorporation into a firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition manufactured in Minnesota does not subject the firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition to federal regulation.

(d) It is declared by the legislature that basic materials, such as unmachined steel and unshaped wood, are not firearms, firearms accessories, or ammunition and are not subject to congressional authority to regulate firearms, firearms accessories, and ammunition under interstate commerce as if they were actually firearms, firearms accessories, or ammunition.

(e) The authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce in basic materials does not include authority to regulate firearms, firearms accessories, and ammunition made in Minnesota from those materials.

(f) Firearms accessories that are imported into Minnesota from another state and that are subject to federal regulation as being in interstate commerce do not subject a firearm to federal regulation under interstate commerce as a result of being attached to or used in conjunction with a firearm in Minnesota.

Subd. 5. Exemptions. Subdivision 4 does not apply to:

(1) a firearm that cannot be carried and used by one person;

(2) a firearm that has a bore diameter greater than 1-1/2 inches and that uses smokeless powder, not black powder, as a propellant;

(3) ammunition with a projectile that explodes using an explosion of chemical energy after the projectile leaves the firearm; or

(4) a firearm, other than a shotgun, that discharges two or more projectiles with one activation of the trigger or other firing device.

Subd. 6. Marketing of firearms. A firearm manufactured or sold in Minnesota under this section must have the words “Made in Minnesota” or “Made in MN” clearly stamped on a central metallic part of the firearm, such as the receiver or frame.

EFFECTIVE DATE.This section applies to firearms, firearms accessories, and ammunition that are manufactured, as defined in subdivision 3, and retained in Minnesota after October 1, 2009.

Michael Boldin

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