There is a new law in Minnesota that goes into effect May 28. It used to be that if you wanted a permit to carry a concealed handgun, you had to apply to your county sheriff, and the sheriff could use his discretion about whether to issue the permit or not. (The sheriff is an elected official.) A sheriff could hand out permits to anyone who wanted one, or he could issue NO permits. The Republicans didn't like this, and passed a new law that is supposed to remove all discretion. Now the sheriff MUST issue the permit except in certain limited circumstances.

But that's not the worst of it. The bill also contains provisions that make it practically impossible for businesses and institutions (churches, schools, hospitals, shopping malls, stadiums, etc.), to keep people from bringing concealed handguns onto their property.

To ban handguns from any private property, you've got to (1) post a sign at every entrance saying handguns are banned (with letters at least 1.5 inches tall) AND (2) "personally inform" each visitor of the policy (whatever that means). If a person carrying a concealed handgun knowingly defies your policy and refuses to leave when asked, he is guilty of a "petty misdemeanor" and is subject to no more than a $25 fine, and is NOT subject to forfeiting either his handgun or his permit to carry it.

There is a question of whether public, tax-supported institutions can ban handguns at all.

If that isn't idiotic...well, I'm speechless.

Some links:

Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. (An interview with a reporter from the Business Journal on Minnesota Public Radio this morning was what drew my attention to the problem.)

Here's an organization that lobbied for the bill: Minnesota Concealed Carry Reform, NOW!
and an organization that lobbied against it: Citizens for a Safer Minnesota

The text of the bill.