OUR OWN STATEWIDE POLICY.

>> Eric: THANK YOU FOR COMING OVER TO TELL US ABOUT IT.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ERIC: IT'S DEADLINE DAY AT THE CAPITOL WHEN BILLS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HEARD TO STAY ALIVE THIS SESSION.

MARATHON COMMITTEE MEETINGS SAW THE RESURGENCE OF MORE GUN CONTROL MEASURES.

MARY LAHAMMER HAS MORE ON WHAT'S BECOME AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE.

[BAGPIPES] >> Mary: THE LOSS OF BURNSVILLE FIRST RESPONDERS IS RESULTING IN LEGISLATION AT THE CAPITOL.

>> LAST MONTH IN MY COMMUNITY, AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES COMMUNITIES SUFFERED A TREMENDOUS LOSS.

IT WAS SHOCKING AND HORRIBLE AND THE IVES OF MANY FAMILIES WERE TORN APART THAT DAY.

>> Mary: THE AUTHOR SAYS AUTOMATIC WEAPONS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ONCED BY THE ALLEGED ASSSAILANT SO THE BILL REGULATES MACHINE GUNS.

>> I KNOW THAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS GRIEVING.

THIS IS A TRAGEDY.

WE'RE NOT FAR REMOVED FROM IT YET.

AND I THINK IT TAKES A STRONG LEADER TO COME THROUGH WITH CLARITY AND THOUGHTFULNESS IN TERMS OF HOW TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE TO ENSURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

I THINK THIS BILL DOES THAT.

>> Mary: REPRESENTATIVE WITTE WAS A BURNSVILLE POLICE OFFICER BEFORE BECOMING A LAWMAKER.

>> NOT USING POLITICS OR POLITICIZE, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, JUST LIKE WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS ONES, AND HOPEFULLY PREVENT THEM FROM HAPPENING.

>> Mary: HONORING MY COMMUNITY, I PROMISE TO KEEP POLITICS OUT OF IT.

I WILL STAND IN MY INTEGRITY IN THAT TODAY.

Ph.D. BERG'S BILL HAS THE A.R.

REGULATIONS ALONG WITH THE TRAW PURCHASING PART THEY WANT.

>> YOU GOT ONE PART OF IT RIGHT, I'M GLAD, THE STRAW - PURCHASER, BUILT THOSE -- I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAD TO MOCK IT UP.

>> WHY FOR ANY REASONABLE LAWFUL GUN OWNER WOULD NEED TO HAVE A TRIGGER THAT SHOOTS SOMETHING TWICE AS FAST, SO I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THE LEGISLATION HERE IS MUCKING UP ANYTHING.

I THINK THIS IS A VERY REASONABLE RESTRICTION.

>> AS A INFORMER BLOCK INSTRUCTOR AND BEING A FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO FIX THIS UNLESS YOU WANT TO OUTLAW EVERY BLOCK, EVERY SPORTING RIFLE IN THIS STATE.

>> IF WE NEED TO REVISE THAT DEFINITION, I KNOW THAT THERE'S OPENNESS TO DO THAT.

WE WANT TO GET THIS RIGHT AND WEPT TO GET THE LANGUAGE RIGHTS.

>> Mary: THE HOUSE APPEARS TO BE SETTING A MORE COLLABORATIVE TONE ON THEIR SIDE OF THE AISLE.

IN THE SENATE, THE ISSUE ON GUN CONTROL SEEMS DIFFERENT AND REPUBLICANS CALLED AN EMOTIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE IN FRUSTRATION.

>> WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU TODAY I DO NOT SAY LIGHTLY.

DEMOCRATS ARE PLAYING POLITICAL GAMES.

THEY WERE ABUSING THEIR POWER.

AND PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE ON THE LINE.

MEDS COLEMAN, WHOSE FATHERS IS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, HAS HAD A BILL TO MAKE STRAW PURCHASES A FELONY INSTEAD OF A MISDEMEANOR.

SHE SAYS THE BILL WILL NOW BE CLONED BY A DEMOCRAT.

>> THEY ARE HOLDING UP THE ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING TODAY TO PLAY POLITICAL GAMES AND THREE MEN ARE DEAD BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PASS THIS BILL LAST YEAR.

DEMOCRATS WAITED AND PEOPLE DIED, HEROS DIED.

>> THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT ONE CAN STAND HERE TODAY AND DRAW AN ABSOLUTE CAUSAL LINE BETWEEN THE ABSENCE OF THE BILL THAT SENATOR COLEMAN INTRODUCED LAST YEAR AND THE HORRIBLE OUTCOMES AMONG HER CONSTITUENTS WHERE A SHOOTER USED THE GUNS TO KILL OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

>> THERE BEING 33 AYES AND 34 NOs, THE MOTION IS NOT ADOPTED.

>> Mary: BY THE SLIMMEST ONE-VOTE MARGIN, THE MOTION TO MOVE THE REPUBLICAN BILL FAILED.

BUT THE ISSUE WAS HEARD IN COMMITTEE.

>> THIS BILL IS TECHNICALLY NOT IN FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE BUT AS A COURTESY TO SENATOR COLEMAN'S INTEREST IN THE TOPIC AND ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF THIS BILL, WE WANTED TO GIVE HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT HER BILL IN FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE TODAY AS WE'RE CONSIDERING GUN VIOLENCE.

>> THE BILL BEFORE YOU TODAY IS AN UPDATED BETTER DRAFTED VERSION OF THE PREVIOUS BILLS IN LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS, KEEPING GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN'T HAVE THEM IS THE GOAL OF THIS BILL.

>> IN ITS CURRENTS FORM, I DON'T HINK YOU HAVE ANY BIPARTISAN SUPPORT WHICH I