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HF 5140

Ownership, possession, and sale of semiautomatic military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines regulated; provisions for possessing dangerous weapons in schools, negligently storing firearms, and reporting on law enforcement firearms discharge modified; ghost guns criminalized; other gun safety provisions modified; and money appropriated.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Patty Acomb and 34 co-sponsors

The bill tightens access to semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, requires ownership certification and serialization, and strengthens ghost-gun controls.

Motion did not prevail
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Bill Summary · HF 5140

Overview

HF 5140 (Minnesota, 2025-2026) is a comprehensive public-safety bill focused on gun safety, school safety, and related mental-health provisions. It seeks to regulate ownership and sale of semiautomatic military-style assault weapons (SASWs) and large-capacity magazines (LCMs), strengthen ghost-gun controls, expand verification and certification requirements, reform extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), enhance school threat reporting, adjust mental health reimbursements, and appropriate funding for related programs. Several provisions take effect July 1, 2027, with earlier components related to ghost guns, serialization, and certain school on-site requirements slated for later dates.

Main purpose and intent

  • Improve public safety by tightening access to SASWs and LCMs.
  • Enhance school safety through anonymous threat reporting systems and ERPO enhancements.
  • Strengthen enforcement mechanisms around ghost guns and firearm serialization.
  • Support mental-health services and appropriate reimbursement for providers within public programs.
  • Invest in targeted school safety and violence-prevention initiatives.

Key provisions and changes

  • Article 2: SASWs and Large-Capacity Magazines

    • Defines SASWs with specific weapon models and design features; broadens to include versions and modifications (effective July 1, 2027; applies to crimes on or after that date).
    • Introduces Large-Capacity Magazine (LCM) definition (more than 17 rounds) with exclusions (e.g., permanently altered devices, certain tubular/lever-action mags) (effective July 1, 2027).
    • Prohibits sale of SASWs and LCMs by most sellers; creates penalties, including felony exposure for certain prolific sales (e.g., more than 10 items within 180 days).
    • Repeats and expands prohibitions on transfers, with background-check and certification requirements for ownership.
    • Establishes mandatory certification of ownership for SASWs and LCMs via the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), renewed every three years; imposes data-privacy protections for certification records.
    • Requires serialization of SASWs/LCMs and creates a system for state-issued serial numbers by federally licensed dealers (FFLs); includes recordkeeping and public notice requirements.
    • Adds provisions for manufactures, assembling limits, and ghost-gun controls (ghost guns defined; serialization and unlawful handling penalties apply).

  • Article 3: Anonymous Threat Reporting and ERPOs

    • Creates an anonymous threat reporting framework (local and statewide options) for schools; requires districts to implement a local system or participate in a statewide system.
    • Mandates training for school-based teams, data practices compliance, and annual reporting to the Department of Education on usage and reports.
    • Establishes a statewide list of third-party providers and requires annual reporting on system usage and report types.

  • Article 2 continued: Other firearm safety measures

    • Modifies and clarifies ERPO processes; requires coordination between law enforcement and courts; strengthens reporting and data-sharing related to ERPOs.
    • Defines data practices and exemptions; outlines emergency relief procedures and service requirements.

  • Article 1: Appropriations

    • Provides funding for public awareness campaigns, research centers focused on gun violence, school-safety grants for nonpublic schools, mental-health grants, mobile crisis funding, and targeted reimbursements for mental-health providers.
    • Creates onetime and short-term funding (2026–2027) for school safety aid and related programs.

Who and what is affected

  • Individuals owning or possessing SASWs or LCMs (transfer, sale, and ownership certification requirements).
  • Firearms dealers (FFLs) and unlicensed purchasers (background checks, serialization, and transfer records).
  • Law enforcement and BCA for certification and serialization administration.
  • School districts, charter schools, and educational entities for anonymous threat reporting systems and ERPO-related procedures.
  • Mental-health providers and health-care professionals receiving reimbursements or grants.
  • Nonpublic schools eligible for safety grants.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Several core SASW/LCM provisions become effective July 1, 2027; apply to crimes on or after that date.
  • Ghost-gun serialization and ghost-gun-related prohibitions become effective August 1, 2026.
  • Local anonymous threat reporting requirements and statewide reporting begin in the 2027–2029 window, with annual reporting mandated.
  • Onetime school safety aid and other targeted appropriations are set for 2027, with ongoing reporting requirements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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