Purpose

This bill adds a mandatory requirement for reporting lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement, sets penalties for failure to report, grants immunity for reporting, and requires police or sheriff offices to notify the state safety agency about the incident. The goal is to improve records and public safety by ensuring timely reporting of firearm losses or thefts.

Main Provisions

• Duty to report (Subd.1): Any person who owns, possesses, or controls a firearm must report a loss or theft to the law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the loss or theft occurred. The report must be made as soon as practicable and no later than 48 hours after the person knew or should have known about the loss or theft.
• Penalties (Subd.2):
  • First violation: petty misdemeanor.
  • Second violation: misdemeanor.
  • Third or subsequent violation: gross misdemeanor.
• Immunity (Subd.3): A person who reports a lost or stolen firearm in compliance with the duty to report is immune from criminal prosecution for state law offenses related to the storage of firearms.
• Report to the commissioner (Subd.4): The chief of police or sheriff must report the lost or stolen firearm to the commissioner of public safety within seven days of receiving the notification.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Establishes a formal, time-bound duty to report lost or stolen firearms.
• Introduces a tiered penalty structure for noncompliance (petty misdemeanor → misdemeanor → gross misdemeanor with repeated offenses).
• Creates immunity from criminal charges related to firearm storage for those who timely report.
• Adds an obligation for local law enforcement to report to the state’s commissioner of public safety within seven days after learning of the loss or theft.
• Codifies these provisions in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 624.

Practical Implications

• Individuals who lose or have a firearm stolen must promptly notify law enforcement within 48 hours of knowledge, or face escalating penalties.
• Reporting a loss can shield a person from criminal charges tied to how the firearm was stored, as long as the report is made properly.
• Local police and sheriff departments are required to relay information about lost or stolen firearms to the state public safety agency within a week.

Key Terms (for quick reference)

• lost or stolen firearms
• duty to report
• within 48 hours
• as soon as practicable
• petty misdemeanor
• misdemeanor
• gross misdemeanor
• immunity / immune from criminal prosecution
• state law offenses related to the storage of firearms
• chief of police
• sheriff
• commissioner of public safety
• Minnesota Statutes Chapter 624
• jurisdiction
• seven days

Relevant Terms lost or stolen firearms; duty to report; 48 hours; as soon as practicable; petty misdemeanor; misdemeanor; gross misdemeanor; immunity; storage of firearms; chief of police; sheriff; commissioner of public safety; Minnesota Statutes Chapter 624; jurisdiction; seven days