Gun safety advocates deliver 8,000 signatures as House DFL stages sit-in

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A push for a House vote on gun safety is heating up, with advocates and lawmakers turning up the pressure at the Capitol.

Advocates deliver petition and demand action on gun safety bill

What we know:

Advocates delivered more than 8,000 signatures for Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth on Thursday morning. They are demanding she receive the gun safety bill that passed the Senate last week and allow a vote in the House chamber.

Rep. Emma Greenman told the group, "You have done your job, our only ask of you is keep our feet to our fire." 

DFL representatives have been asking about the bill every day for more than a week before giving up and planning further action.

The parents of Harper Moyski, who was killed in the Annunciation mass shooting, say Speaker Demuth appears to be breaking a promise to not block a vote on gun safety bills. However, Demuth says she is not blocking the bills, but that they stalled in committees.

Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth said, "We have taken bills up on these same topics individually within committee that have failed on a party line vote."

DFL representatives plan overnight sit-in on House floor

Timeline:

DFL lawmakers are planning a sit-in through the night in the House chamber, hoping to draw attention to the issue. Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura said, "We will be doing this for the community of Annunciation."

The sit-in begins as soon as Thursday’s floor session ends, with members moving to the front of the rostrum and sitting down until Friday’s session begins. This echoes a similar sit-in for gun safety held in 2018.

Sen. Erin Maye Quade, who organized the 2018 sit-in while a member of the House, said, "I think that was a moment where (parents and advocates) said, 'Oh no, we do have people who are willing to do everything they can on the inside,' and I think today you're going to see that same thing."

House Democrats tried to bring the bill up for a vote Thursday afternoon, expecting it to fail, but say they will spend the last four days of the session sending a message.

The other side:

Speaker Demuth maintains that she is not blocking the bills but that they failed in committee votes along party lines. 

Supporters of the bill say the issue will remain at the forefront through the end of the session and into campaign season.

Maggiy Emery of Protect Minnesota said, "I think it's clear that this is the issue that is going to rule the end of session."

Advocates and lawmakers say they plan to take the issue to voters, who will decide who should be in the House to vote on future gun policy bills.

What we don't know:

It is unclear if the House will take up the gun safety bill before the session ends or if any changes to the bill’s status are likely in the coming days.