Minnesota Governor-elect Amy Klobuchar is facing backlash from gun rights advocates and conservative groups following her recent remarks indicating that a gun safety bill will be a top priority when she takes office. Klobuchar, who has generally positioned herself as a moderate, stated at a press conference that she is "so excited to be working with the leaders on this" and believes "that bill makes a lot of sense."
The legislation in question, SF 4067, previously passed the Minnesota Senate but stalled in the House. It proposes to ban federally licensed firearms dealers from selling certain semi-automatic military-style assault weapons, such as AR-15s, and large-capacity magazines exceeding 17 rounds. Current owners would need to obtain state certification for such firearms and magazines, with failure to comply potentially resulting in misdemeanor or felony charges.
Conservative commentators and organizations quickly voiced their opposition on social media. Steve Guest, a conservative communicator, criticized Klobuchar for "going after law-abiding gun owners," while the National Rifle Association (NRA) stated on X that Klobuchar is "going after Minnesotans' firearms under the guise of ‘safety.’"
Minnesota Republican state Rep. Ben Davis urged resistance, posting on X, "We have a duty to our nation to not comply. Resist."
Klobuchar, who will succeed Governor Tim Walz in January, has served as a U.S. Senator for Minnesota since 2007. During her press conference, she also stated, "I am committed as ever to moving our state forward, not moving our state to the left or to the right, but moving our state forward."
Fox News Digital reached out to Klobuchar's team for comment on which specific aspects of the bill she supports or opposes but did not receive a response.