Purpose

This bill creates a new requirement for reporting lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement, with penalties for noncompliance, immunity for certain storage-related offenses when a report is filed, and a mandate for local agencies to notify state authorities.

Main Provisions

• Duty to report: Anyone who owns, possesses, or controls a firearm must report its loss or theft to a law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the loss occurred as soon as practicable, but no later than 48 hours after they knew or reasonably should have known of the loss or theft.

• Penalties:

  • First violation: petty misdemeanor.
  • Second violation: misdemeanor.
  • Third or subsequent violation: gross misdemeanor.

• Immunity: 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.

• Reporting to the state: A chief of police or sheriff must report the lost or stolen firearm to the commissioner of public safety within seven days of receiving notification of the loss or theft.

Significant Changes

• Establishes a new mandatory reporting obligation for lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement.
• Introduces a tiered penalty scheme that increases with repeated violations.
• Provides immunity from storage-related criminal prosecutions for those who report in compliance.
• Creates a requirement for local law enforcement to forward information about a lost or stolen firearm to the commissioner of public safety within seven days.

Terminology Inclusion

• Key terms from the bill: lost or stolen firearms, report, duty to report, law enforcement, jurisdiction, knowledge of loss, within 48 hours, as soon as practicable, petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, immunity, state law offenses, storage of firearms, commissioner of public safety, chief of police, sheriff, seven days, Minnesota Statutes.

Relevant Terms - lost or stolen firearms - report - duty to report - law enforcement - jurisdiction - knowledge of loss - within 48 hours - as soon as practicable - petty misdemeanor - misdemeanor - gross misdemeanor - immunity - storage of firearms - state law offenses - commissioner of public safety - chief of police - sheriff - seven days - Minnesota Statutes