St. Paul Reporter

Representative Bidal Duran, a Republican from Bemidji, has expressed support for a recent decision by the Minnesota Supreme Court regarding firearm ownership. The court’s ruling maintains that Minnesotans who possess firearms without serial numbers—if those firearms were manufactured before federal requirements took effect—will not be considered criminals under state law.

“This ruling ensures that thousands of responsible gun owners are not suddenly turned into criminals for possessing legally owned firearms that were never required to have serial numbers,” Duran said. “Before Congress passed the National Firearms Act in 1968, serial numbers simply weren’t required. That’s a matter of historical law, not criminal intent.”

Duran also noted that the court deferred to the legislative branch on matters related to gun laws. “The Supreme Court respected the separation of powers and avoided legislating from the bench,” Duran said. “Decisions about Minnesota’s gun laws should be made by lawmakers accountable to the people, not imposed by judicial overreach.”

He added that he would resist any legislative attempts to impose stricter regulations than those set at the federal level. “Protecting law-abiding gun owners is non-negotiable,” Duran said. “I will oppose any proposal that criminalizes otherwise responsible citizens."