Major gun overview may be nonstarter.

Byline: Kevin Featherly

It sounded like the Senate Republicans planned to take on the fraught, complex gun issue this year with some sort of in-depth study in 2019.

"What I will tell you is that I have had a conversation with Senator Warren Limmer of Judiciary," said Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, speaking to reporters during a Jan. 14 legislative forum. "He wants a comprehensive overview of guns."

Limmer, R-Maple Grove, is chair of Senate Judiciary and Public Safety committee, through which any gun bills would need to pass. Gazelka said the project Limmer was contemplating wouldn't only survey current or future gun legislation. It would also examine the benefits to Minnesotans of hunting, gun shop ownership and related matters.

Asked about that two days later, Gov. Tim Walz said the examination could prove useful even as he acknowledged it could be seen as a way to slow-roll the issue. The effort might raise some valid points, said Walz.

"It's part of the legislative process, I think, to be delivered," Walz said.

At the Jan. 14 forum, with Walz present along with the three other legislative caucus leaders, Gazelka left little doubt that it would happen in 2019. "That's part of what we will do this year," he said.

Maybe not: In a Jan. 28 interview, Limmer suggested the majority leader might have slightly over-described their conversation.

"I just said that in order to make a proper decision about some of the proposals, we need to have a better understanding of the backdrop of gun laws in the state," Limmer said.

How would such a better understanding be gained? Limmer has no ready answer to that.

What is certain is that it won't be through debate in his committee. An avalanche of biennial budget proposals is about to drop on his desk. The resulting workload will leave no time to examine guns in depth in committee this session, he said.

Might conversations take place instead over the interim months? Not necessarily, Limmer said. If they should move forward, what form would they take? Limmer is not sure. Could the Data Practices Commission, which Limmer is set to chair this year, take up the issue? No, Limmer said.

What about some other existing legislative commission, or possibly a new one yet to be created? "I haven't given that any thought," Limmer said.

In an interview Thursday, Gazelka suggested he might have gotten a little ahead of his skis discussing his conversation with Limmer publicly. He said he intends to allow his Judiciary chairman to make his own decisions on...