BigBlue wrote:What I find very hard to believe about this is that our very friendly reps and senators are somehow blindly falling for this. AND that advocacy groups I know and respect have said nothing about it.
Thoughts??
BB
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus sent several communications out about REALID last year when it was up for consideration in the previous session. I've pasted one below.
We'll have more to say when the bill is slated to move to the House floor for debate.
I do believe there is a hearing today on it as well.
Here's the email from 8 months ago that we sent out:
Later today, the Minnesota House will take up SF3589 (also known as SF3959), the REAL ID implementation act, led by Representative Dennis Smith.
As you may have seen from news coverage, Minnesota is not compliant with the federal REAL ID act, which sets nationwide security standards for driver's licenses and identification cards. Without Minnesota adjusting its laws around the issuance of driver's licenses, in the future Minnesotans will not be able to use their driver's license to board an aircraft, enter many federal installations (military bases) and buildings, and other issues.
You can read more about REAL ID at this link from the US Department of Homeland Security.
There are many valid concerns with REAL ID - from the sharing of information with other states and the federal government, to concern about the overreach of the federal government, to the frustration in obtaining all of the required documentation required for a REAL ID compliant driver's license.
For gun owners, however, one of the concerns is about data that the state holds today about you as a gun owner - and what happens with that information.
That's why over the past week, we've been working with Representative Dennis Smith (R-34B) and Representative Jim Nash (R-47A) to add amendments to the REAL ID Implementation bill being heard today to protect the privacy of Minnesota's gun owners.
These two amendments will specifically prohibit the Commissioner of Public Safety from sharing any information related to hunter / firearms safety certification, any information about the purchase of transfer of firearms, and any information about permits to carry.
These amendments would stop any of the information held by the State of Minnesota today about gun owners from ever being shared with other states of the federal government through the REAL ID Act.
You can read the two amendments online here:
A4 amendment covering hunter/firearms safety information contained in MN 171.07, Subd. 13
A5 amendment covering data pertaining to the purchase or transfer of firearms, and permits to carry firearms, as collected under MN 624.712 - 624.719.
We are taking no position on the underlying REAL ID implementation bill, but we believe these two amendments are critical to protect the privacy of gun owners. We have informed our allies in the House that we will be grading the votes on the two amendments.
Can you take 5 minutes today to contact your Representatives and let them know you support the Smith Gun Owner Privacy Protection Amendments?
Call your State Representative: Let them know you support the A4 and A5 amendments by Rep. Smith to safeguard the privacy of Minnesota's gun owners with today's REAL ID implementation bill (SF3589)
You can use the Who Represents Me link at the State Legislature to find your Representative's contact information.
E-Mail your State Representative: After calling your State Representative, follow-up with a brief email reiterating your points.
As you make contact, be sure to be firm, but polite.
No matter your position on REAL ID, I think all of us would agree that it is important to ensure that the privacy of gun owners, our firearms, and our permits is safeguarded. Rep. Smith's amendments will ensure that our information will never be shared.
For additional information, you can read our Fact Sheet on REAL ID and Gun Owner Privacy in Minnesota and our Letter of Support to Rep. Nash and Rep. Smith.
Please make these calls today!
Yours in Liberty,
Bryan Strawser
Chair