ROCHESTER, Minn. 鈥� Gov. Tim Walz again called for a hearing on gun safety in the Minnesota Senate on the heels of a series of 鈥渟watting鈥� incidents at schools across the state Wednesday, Sept. 21.
Walz said his 15-year-old son, who attends high school in Mankato, Minnesota, came home traumatized after police responded to a fake call reporting an active shooter at the school Wednesday.
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鈥淔or four years now I have asked the senate to hold a hearing on guns and safety and smart changes that we need to make,鈥� Walz said during a campaign stop Thursday in Rochester. 鈥淚 was very specific about what I said 鈥� I asked them to hold a hearing 鈥� to start out to have a conversation and they won鈥檛 even do that.鈥�
Walz said the Republican-controlled state Senate stands between Minnesotans and family leave, a gun safety hearing and secure abortion rights for women.
鈥淚 feel like the Senate is why Minnesotans can鈥檛 have nice things,鈥� he said.
Walz told the group of about three dozen people at the Olmsted DFL office the incidents Wednesday highlight the need for more mental health resources in public schools.
鈥淭hose are issues that the Legislature needs to be talking about,鈥� Walz said. 鈥淣ot telling us that our curriculum is wrong and banning books that our educators and our parents can have access to and need access to, not trying to defund at a time when we need more mental health counselors.鈥�
Walz also responded to criticism from his GOP challenger , that Walz鈥檚 climate plan is unrealistic.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 thinking that would leave us behind everywhere else in the world,鈥� Walz said. He noted that Xcel Energy, Fortune 500 companies and research companies have endorsed the plan to lower the state's net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. He said the plan is an economic opportunity that aligns with Minnesotans鈥� wants.
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鈥淲hen you鈥檙e looking out to 2050, of course there鈥檚 going to be more things that are going to be going on, but these are the people holding us back from even putting in electric car chargers,鈥� Walz said.
Rachel Aplikowski, communications director for the Senate Republican Caucus, said Walz needs to refresh his memory on the GOP Senate's willingness to talk about gun reform.
"Gov. Walz can say what he wants, but the Senate had two hearings on guns in 2020. One in St. Paul, and one in Hibbing," Aplikowski said.
In fact, Aplikowski noted that Senate Republicans were in talks to deliver gun legislation reforms when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in March 2020, changing the focus of legislators.
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