That’s what they’re calling it anyway…….
The Minnesota Personal Protection Act of 2003 becomes effective on Wednesday, May 28th. The MPPA, more commonly known as the “conceal & carry” bill, allows greater freedom to citizens to receive permits from County Sheriffs to carry handguns. Permit holders may choose to conceal their handguns while they are carrying them, but they don’t have to. That’s one of the intersting side-notes in this law, and it’s full of interesting side-notes. In fact, in today’s Star Tribune, Governor Pawlenty’s chief of staff, Mr. Charlie Weaver, suggested that some of the provisions in the law might be “unwise.” His words, not mine. Read the article and see what you think.
May 28th is the first day that Sheriffs are obliged to accept applications for handgun permits. Sheriffs have 30 days to review and decide on the application. If the Sheriff fails to make a determination within the 30 day period about whether to grant the permit or not, the permit is deemed to be granted. The default decision, according to the new law, ought to favor the citizen making the permit application. For more information on the actual law, check out this link for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
There are many questions about this bill that we are wrestling with at the local government level:
1. The new law forbids cities from prohibiting permit holders from carrying their guns into public buildings, such as the Community Center, City Center, etc. But, can cities prohibit weapons from the areas of public buildings that are considered generally to be “nonpublic”, such as the police department, employee offices, etc.?
2. Can employees refuse to serve someone who is hostile and obviously armed?
3. What should employees do when they see a person with a handgun drawn?
4. Can employees ask a person if they are armed or not?
5. Should the City Council take a political position on this law?
These are just a few of the questions we are asking each other. I have appointed Police Chief Dan Carlson to be our point-man on this issue. Chief Carlson and representatives from our City Attorney’s office are attending training sessions about the law. In a couple of weeks we will forumulate a strategy of procedures that we will ask City employees to carry out concerning this law.
Some cities have already decided that they are going to defy the law and invite a lawsuit. We’re not going to do that in Eden Prairie. For better of worse, the law has been adopted. All three of Eden Prairie’s elected state officials (Rep. Paulsen, Rep. Adolphson, and Sen. Hann) voted in favor of the law. It’s my duty to enforce the laws of the state, and that’s what we’ll do. I think it’s an ill-advised law, but I also think its actual effects will be quite limited.
As for me, personally, I put stock in what the Brady Campaign has to say about Conceal & Carry gun laws.
I think a year from now we’ll know better. As they say, hindsight is always 20/20.
