HF954: This legislation requires that records of court-adjudicated mental instability be included in data sent to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). These persons would be prohibited under state law from possessing a firearm. The inclusion of such records would have kept the Virginia Tech shooter from obtaining the firearms used in killing 32 people on that campus in April of 2007. This legislation passed Congress last year with the support of the gun lobby. The chief author is Rep. John Lesch (DFL-66A-Saint Paul).2 The bill was introduced on February 19 and referred to the House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee.

<div class="xtend">
<div class="xtend_ce"><a id="pl.1.1"></a> 1.1 A bill for an act<br />
</div><a id="pl.1.2"></a> 1.2 relating to public safety; requiring that information on persons civilly committed, <br />
<a id="pl.1.3"></a> 1.3 found not guilty by reason of mental illness, or incompetent to stand trial be <br />
<a id="pl.1.4"></a> 1.4 transmitted to the federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System; <br />
<a id="pl.1.5"></a> 1.5 authorizing certain persons prohibited under state law from possessing a firearm <br />
<a id="pl.1.6"></a> 1.6 to petition a court for restoration of this right; amending Minnesota Statutes <br />
<a id="pl.1.7"></a> 1.7 2008, section 624.713, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law <br />
<a id="pl.1.8"></a> 1.8 in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 253B.<br />
<a id="pl.1.9"></a> 1.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:<br />
<br />
<a id="bill.0.1.0"></a><a id="pl.1.10"></a> 1.10 Section 1. <u><b>[253B.24] TRANSMITTAL OF DATA TO NATIONAL INSTANT </b></u><br />
<a id="pl.1.11"></a> 1.11 <u><b>CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM.</b></u><br />
<a id="pl.1.12"></a> 1.12 <u>When a court:</u><br />
<a id="pl.1.13"></a> 1.13 <u>(1) commits a person under this chapter as being mentally ill, developmentally </u><br />
<a id="pl.1.14"></a> 1.14 <u>disabled, mentally ill and dangerous, or chemically dependent; or</u><br />
<a id="pl.1.15"></a> 1.15 <u>(2) determines in a criminal case that a person is incompetent to stand trial or not </u><br />
<a id="pl.1.16"></a> 1.16 <u>guilty by reason of mental illness,</u><br />
<a id="pl.1.17"></a> 1.17 <u>the court shall ensure that this information is transmitted to the National Instant Criminal </u><br />
<a id="pl.1.18"></a> 1.18 <u>Background Check System.</u><br />
<br />
<a id="bill.0.2.0"></a><a id="pl.1.19"></a> 1.19 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 624.713, is amended by adding a subdivision <br />
<a id="pl.1.20"></a> 1.20 to read:<br />
<a id="pl.1.21"></a> 1.21 <u>Subd. 4.</u> <u><b>Petition authorized to restore ability of committed persons to possess </b></u><br />
<a id="pl.1.22"></a> 1.22 <u><b>firearm.</b></u> <u>A person prohibited from possessing a firearm under subdivision 1, clause </u><br />
<a id="pl.1.23"></a> 1.23 <u>(3), (5), or (10), item (iv), due to confinement or commitment resulting from a judicial </u><br />
<a id="pl.1.24"></a> 1.24 <u>determination that the person was mentally ill, developmentally disabled, mentally ill and </u><br />
<a id="pl.1.25"></a> 1.25 <u>dangerous, or chemically dependent may petition a court to restore the person's ability to </u><br />
<a id="pl.2.1"></a> 2.1 <u>possess a firearm. The court may grant the relief sought if the person shows good cause to </u><br />
<a id="pl.2.2"></a> 2.2 <u>do so, that the person no longer suffers from the condition that led to the confinement or </u><br />
<a id="pl.2.3"></a> 2.3 <u>commitment, that the person is not likely to act in a manner that is dangerous to public </u><br />
<a id="pl.2.4"></a> 2.4 <u>safety, and that the granting of the relief sought is not contrary to the public interest.</u><br />
</div>

Subd. 2.Chemically dependent person.

"Chemically dependent person" means any person (a) determined as being incapable of self-management or management of personal affairs by reason of the habitual and excessive use of alcohol, drugs, or other mind-altering substances; and (b) whose recent conduct as a result of habitual and excessive use of alcohol, drugs, or other mind-altering substances poses a substantial likelihood of physical harm to self or others as demonstrated by (i) a recent attempt or threat to physically harm self or others, (ii) evidence of recent serious physical problems, or (iii) a failure to obtain necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical care. "Chemically dependent person" also means a pregnant woman who has engaged during the pregnancy in habitual or excessive use, for a nonmedical purpose, of any of the following substances or their derivatives: opium, cocaine, heroin, phencyclidine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, tetrahydrocannabinol, or alcohol.

Chemically Dependent from 253B.02

GOCRA has a revised version of this bill. It is intended to bring Minnesota in compliance with the new NICS bill at the federal level.