Walz signs two gun‑violence executive orders, establishes Statewide Safety Council
Facing a stalemated Legislature, Gov. Tim Walz on Dec. 16 signed two executive orders that immediately establish a Statewide Safety Council and direct the state to expand education on safe firearm storage and Minnesota’s red‑flag law while collecting more data on the societal costs of gun violence. Walz framed the orders as bypassing a special session and said they could face legal challenges; critics including the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus called them “low‑impact” political cover and GOP leaders disputed his account of negotiations.
📌 Key Facts
- On Dec. 16, 2025 Gov. Tim Walz signed two executive orders in St. Paul establishing a Statewide Safety Council and related directives on gun violence.
- One order expands education on safe firearm storage and Minnesota’s red-flag law; the other directs state agencies to collect more and better data on the societal costs of gun violence — a measure Walz framed as working around federal limits on gun-violence research and potentially subject to legal challenges.
- Walz said he pursued executive action after what he called legislative 'stonewalling' over broader gun measures and chose orders instead of calling a special legislative session amid a continuing stalemate.
- The push for action was driven by the Aug. 27 Annunciation Church mass shooting; survivors' families and physicians gave emotional testimony at hearings and town halls urging bans on AR-style rifles and high-capacity magazines and describing severe injuries.
- DFL lawmakers have proposed banning military-style assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, .50-caliber and undetectable firearms — with proposals requiring registration of existing owners, prohibiting transfers, and mandating surrender to the Minnesota BCA while exempting law enforcement, military and dealers — and some swing Democrats (including Sen. Judy Seeberger) have moved to support full bans.
- Walz has been pursuing public pressure through a series of town halls (including Waconia and Stillwater), has publicly floated a potential Minnesota constitutional amendment to ban assault rifles, and Attorney General Keith Ellison has endorsed pursuing an amendment.
- Officials and advocates at the signing included Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold, Education Commissioner Willie Jett, Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson, Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, Rep. Emma Greenman and Protect Minnesota’s Maggiy Emery.
- Reaction was mixed: opponents such as the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus called the orders 'low-impact' and 'political cover,' while GOP legislative leaders disputed Walz’s characterization of talks and emphasized alternatives like school security and mental-health measures.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2023, 176 out of 260 known homicide offenders in Minnesota were Black.
2023 Uniform Crime Report — Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
In 2022, 98 out of 177 known homicide offenders in Minnesota were Black.
2022 Uniform Crime Report — Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
In 2023, only 5 out of 181 homicides in Minnesota involved a rifle.
2023 Uniform Crime Report — Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
In Minnesota, 62 percent of victims of violent crime were of the same race as the person perpetrating violence against them.
Minnesota Criminal Justice Data Snapshot — Council of State Governments Justice Center
📰 Sources (15)
Gov. Walz bypasses special session, issues executive orders on gun control
New information:
- Walz chose executive orders instead of calling a special legislative session.
- One order expands education on safe firearm storage and Minnesota’s red-flag law.
- The second order seeks to collect data on the societal costs of gun violence; Walz anticipates legal challenges and frames it as working around federal limits on funding gun‑violence research.
- Reaction from the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus (Bryan Strawser) calling the orders 'low-impact' and 'political cover.'
Walz signs executive orders on guns as Legislature remains stalled on issue
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz has now signed the two executive orders in St. Paul on Dec. 16, 2025.
- The orders immediately establish the Statewide Safety Council and related directives.
- The action comes amid continued legislative stalemate on broader gun measures.
Walz to sign 2 executive orders on gun violence
New information:
- Walz will sign two executive orders on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. in St. Paul.
- The orders will establish a Statewide Safety Council.
- They will direct the state to produce more data on the costs of gun violence in Minnesota.
- They will improve education on safe firearm storage.
- Officials and advocates scheduled to attend include Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold, Education Commissioner Willie Jett, Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson, Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, Rep. Emma Greenman, and Protect Minnesota’s Maggiy Emery.
Walz will take 'incredibly aggressive executive actions' on gun control
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz said he will 'roll out a series of incredibly aggressive executive actions' on gun control due to legislative 'stonewalling.'
- He made the remarks Dec. 12 at a St. Paul news conference (held for a fraud‑prevention initiative).
- Walz cited families affected by the Aug. 27 Annunciation Church mass shooting as a motivation; he did not detail specific executive actions yet.
Annunciation shooting: Parents, community demand change amid healing
New information:
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison publicly endorsed pursuing a constitutional amendment to ban assault weapons, saying it could pass the Legislature this session and go to voters next November.
- Parents and community members at a Mounds View town hall delivered emotional testimonies and called for bans on AR‑style rifles and high‑capacity magazines.
- Specific survivor detail cited: a parent described injuries from .223 rounds at Annunciation, underscoring high‑velocity trauma concerns.
How one Minnesota swing-district Democrat decided to support an assault-style weapons ban
New information:
- DFL Sen. Judy Seeberger (Afton), a swing‑district moderate who had been undecided, now says she supports full bans on assault‑style weapons and high‑capacity magazines.
- Seeberger stated she will vote “yes on anything and everything” that will reduce gun violence.
- She is appearing with Gov. Tim Walz at a gun‑violence‑prevention town hall in Stillwater on Monday.
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords pushes for action on gun laws in Minnesota
New information:
- Details of a DFL-hosted gun-violence prevention town hall at Waconia High School featuring Gabby Giffords and Gov. Tim Walz
- Walz publicly reiterated willingness to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot on gun policy
- Dr. Tim Kummer, first physician at the Annunciation shooting, described severity of injuries to a 12-year-old victim and rifle damage
- DFL House Leader Zach Stephenson called for comprehensive prevention, including removing 'weapons of war' and addressing mental health/school safety
- House Speaker Lisa Demuth criticized the event as a campaign-style rally and not truly open to the public; DFL said town halls are open and scheduled the next one for Rochester on Nov. 6
Walz to headline town hall in Waconia on gun violence
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz will headline a town hall in Waconia focused on gun violence.
- The event adds a specific metro stop to the governor’s series of public town halls amid the special‑session stalemate.
Walz says he’ll hold town halls on guns without agreement on special session
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz says he will hold town halls on guns despite no agreement with legislative leaders on convening a special session.
- The announcement signals a shift to public outreach as negotiations remain deadlocked.
Gov. Walz suggests constitutional amendment to address gun violence
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz floated pursuing a Minnesota constitutional amendment to ban the sale and possession of assault rifles during remarks at the MinnPost Festival in Minneapolis.
- Constitutional law expert David Schultz detailed the amendment process (majority votes in both chambers; majority of all voters statewide with non‑votes counting as no) and said passage is unlikely given the divided Legislature.
- Schultz also noted a constitutional amendment banning assault weapons could face federal challenges under recent U.S. Supreme Court Second Amendment jurisprudence.
- Walz has said he plans to call a special session on gun control; no date set.
Gun control special session stuck on runway, here’s why
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz met with bipartisan legislative leaders on Thursday but reported no agreement on a gun-focused special session; leaders will meet again Friday.
- DFL push centers on a ban on new sales of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; Walz says a House and Senate majority may support a vote.
- House Speaker Lisa Demuth says DFLers have not presented bill language and asserts there aren’t enough votes for a ban; GOP prefers focusing on school security and mental health.
- Specific DFL senators (Rob Kupec, Grant Hauschild, Judy Seeberger) are cited as potential opponents on some new gun measures.
- House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson emphasized the issue’s urgency with personal context and called for votes to test support.
Gov. Walz: GOP won’t budge on gun control; House speaker calls it ‘mischaracterization’
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz said Republicans "won’t budge" on DFL-backed gun-control measures during ongoing negotiations.
- House Speaker Lisa Demuth rejected Walz’s characterization, calling it a “mischaracterization” and asserting the GOP has engaged in talks.
- The exchange underscores continued stalemate over possible gun-safety legislation ahead of any special session.
Partisan fighting stymies Minnesota Senate's meeting on gun violence
New information:
- The workgroup held a second hearing on Wednesday, where progress stalled amid partisan disagreements.
- Chair Sen. Ron Latz said GOP members failed to bring proposals despite his requests since Sept. 9 and repeatedly gauged support that lacked Republican backing.
- Debate over safe-storage policy grew tense; Sen. Keri Heintzeman defended GOP approaches, while Sen. Zaynab Mohamed questioned GOP motives and Sen. Eric Lucero alleged a decorum violation.
- Lawmakers revisited proposals from Monday including an assault-weapon ban, expanded mental-health services, and funding a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
DFL lawmakers propose assault weapons, high-capacity magazines bans
New information:
- Sen. Zaynab Mohamed proposed a bill to ban military-style assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, .50-caliber or larger firearms, and undetectable firearms.
- Existing owners would be required to register these firearms; transfers would be prohibited; unwanted firearms must be surrendered to the Minnesota BCA; exceptions for law enforcement, military, and dealers.
- Parents of Annunciation shooting victims urged action in testimony, providing specific quotes about trauma and school safety.
- Rob Doar of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus opposed the bans, citing a DOJ study on the 1994 federal AWB, emphasizing mental health interventions, and noting bed shortages for civil commitments.
- Lawmakers also reviewed additional proposals addressing mental health at the hearing.