Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF278 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to public safety; expanding the information collected and scope of
3	3	1.3 background check conducted for noncitizen permit to carry applicants; amending
4	4	1.4 Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 624.714, subdivisions 3, 4.
5	5	1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
6	6	1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 624.714, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
7	7	1.7 Subd. 3.Form and contents of application.(a) Applications for permits to carry must
8	8	1.8be an official, standardized application form, adopted under section 624.7151, and must set
9	9	1.9forth in writing only the following information:
10	10	1.10 (1) the applicant's name, residence, telephone number, if any, and driver's license number
11	11	1.11or state identification card number;
12	12	1.12 (2) the applicant's sex, date of birth, height, weight, and color of eyes and hair, and
13	13	1.13distinguishing physical characteristics, if any;
14	14	1.14 (3) the township or statutory city or home rule charter city, and county, of all Minnesota
15	15	1.15residences of the applicant in the last five years, though not including specific addresses;
16	16	1.16 (4) the township or city, county, and state of all non-Minnesota residences of the applicant
17	17	1.17in the last five years, though not including specific addresses;
18	18	1.18 (5) a statement that the applicant authorizes the release to the sheriff of commitment
19	19	1.19information about the applicant maintained by the commissioner of human services or any
20	20	1.20similar agency or department of another state where the applicant has resided, to the extent
21	21	1.21that the information relates to the applicant's eligibility to possess a firearm; and
22	22	1Section 1.
23	23	25-01246 as introduced12/17/24 REVISOR KLL/KR
24	24	SENATE
25	25	STATE OF MINNESOTA
26	26	S.F. No. 278NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
27	27	(SENATE AUTHORS: LANG, Howe, Mathews, Pratt and Kreun)
28	28	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
29	29	Introduction and first reading01/21/2025
30	30	Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety 2.1 (6) a statement by the applicant that, to the best of the applicant's knowledge and belief,
31	31	2.2the applicant is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.; and
32	32	2.3 (7) if the applicant is not a United States citizen, the applicant's country of birth and
33	33	2.4alien number or alien admission number.
34	34	2.5 (b) The statement under paragraph (a), clause (5), must comply with any applicable
35	35	2.6requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, sections 2.31 to 2.35, with respect
36	36	2.7to consent to disclosure of alcohol or drug abuse patient records.
37	37	2.8 (c) An applicant must submit to the sheriff an application packet consisting only of the
38	38	2.9following items:
39	39	2.10 (1) a completed application form, signed and dated by the applicant;
40	40	2.11 (2) an accurate photocopy of the certificate described in subdivision 2a, paragraph (c),
41	41	2.12that is submitted as the applicant's evidence of training in the safe use of a pistol; and
42	42	2.13 (3) an accurate photocopy of the applicant's current driver's license, state identification
43	43	2.14card, or the photo page of the applicant's passport.
44	44	2.15 (d) In addition to the other application materials, a person who is otherwise ineligible
45	45	2.16for a permit due to a criminal conviction but who has obtained a pardon or expungement
46	46	2.17setting aside the conviction, sealing the conviction, or otherwise restoring applicable rights,
47	47	2.18must submit a copy of the relevant order.
48	48	2.19 (e) Applications must be submitted in person.
49	49	2.20 (f) The sheriff may charge a new application processing fee in an amount not to exceed
50	50	2.21the actual and reasonable direct cost of processing the application or $100, whichever is
51	51	2.22less. Of this amount, $10 must be submitted to the commissioner and deposited into the
52	52	2.23general fund.
53	53	2.24 (g) This subdivision prescribes the complete and exclusive set of items an applicant is
54	54	2.25required to submit in order to apply for a new or renewal permit to carry. The applicant
55	55	2.26must not be asked or required to submit, voluntarily or involuntarily, any information, fees,
56	56	2.27or documentation beyond that specifically required by this subdivision. This paragraph does
57	57	2.28not apply to alternate training evidence accepted by the sheriff under subdivision 2a,
58	58	2.29paragraph (d).
59	59	2.30 (h) Forms for new and renewal applications must be available at all sheriffs' offices and
60	60	2.31the commissioner must make the forms available on the Internet.
61	61	2Section 1.
62	62	25-01246 as introduced12/17/24 REVISOR KLL/KR 3.1 (i) Application forms must clearly display a notice that a permit, if granted, is void and
63	63	3.2must be immediately returned to the sheriff if the permit holder is or becomes prohibited
64	64	3.3by law from possessing a firearm. The notice must list the applicable state criminal offenses
65	65	3.4and civil categories that prohibit a person from possessing a firearm.
66	66	3.5 (j) Upon receipt of an application packet and any required fee, the sheriff must provide
67	67	3.6a signed receipt indicating the date of submission.
68	68	3.7 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 624.714, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
69	69	3.8 Subd. 4.Investigation.(a) The sheriff must check, by means of electronic data transfer,
70	70	3.9criminal records, histories, and warrant information on each applicant through the Minnesota
71	71	3.10Crime Information System and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
72	72	3.11In addition, if the applicant is not a United States citizen, the sheriff must ensure that an
73	73	3.12Immigration Alien Query (IAQ) check is performed on the applicant. The sheriff shall also
74	74	3.13make a reasonable effort to check other available and relevant federal, state, or local
75	75	3.14record-keeping systems. The sheriff must obtain commitment information from the
76	76	3.15commissioner of human services as provided in section 246C.15 or, if the information is
77	77	3.16reasonably available, as provided by a similar statute from another state.
78	78	3.17 (b) When an application for a permit is filed under this section, the sheriff must notify
79	79	3.18the chief of police, if any, of the municipality where the applicant resides. The police chief
80	80	3.19may provide the sheriff with any information relevant to the issuance of the permit.
81	81	3.20 (c) The sheriff must conduct a background check by means of electronic data transfer
82	82	3.21on a permit holder through the Minnesota Crime Information System and the National
83	83	3.22Instant Criminal Background Check System at least yearly to ensure continuing eligibility.
84	84	3.23The sheriff may also conduct additional background checks by means of electronic data
85	85	3.24transfer on a permit holder at any time during the period that a permit is in effect.
86	86	3Sec. 2.
87	87	25-01246 as introduced12/17/24 REVISOR KLL/KR