Minnesota House panel approves gun sale background checks

ST. PAUL, MINN. -- A Minnesota House committee voted Wednesday night to require universal criminal background checks for gun purchasers as the Legislature took up the contentious issue of gun control for the first time this session.

The House public safety committee approved the bill on a 9-7 vote. The bill next goes to the Ways and Means Committee.

The committee then began considering a bill for a "red flag" law to allow families and police to seek court orders to temporarily confiscate guns from people judged to pose an imminent threat to themselves or others, but didn't finish before the midnight deadline and put off a vote until Thursday night.

Leaders of the new Democratic majority in the House predicted floor approval of both bills, and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz reaffirmed his support in his budget proposal last week. But Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka has vowed to block the legislation.

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