A fifth gun-control bill is now on file at the Minnesota Legislature — one that would expand the types of weapons that would qualify as assault weapons, and raise the legal age to buy them from 18 to 21.

The bill, sponsored and filed this month by Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, in the Senate and Jamie Becker-Finn, DFL-Roseville, in the House, has not been slated for any hearings in either chamber of the Republican-controlled Legislature.

The bill states nobody under 21 can possess a “semi-automatic, military-style assault weapon,” or ammunition for it, with some caveats: if they are under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian; for military drills; if they are an on-duty law enforcement officer, or if they have been honorably discharged by a U.S. military branch.

Anyone over 18 would be able to carry a pistol, according to the bill, while anyone younger could carry one if they met the same parental, law enforcement or military caveats that applied to assault weapons.

The bill also expands the list of assault weapons to include many semiautomatic pistols or rifles with magazines that are either detachable or to hold more than seven rounds; as well as many semi-automatic shotguns.

Anyone who gives an assault weapon to a person considered “underage” in the bill would be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

Proponents of the bill, including the gun violence prevention organization Protect Minnesota — which appeared with the bill’s sponsors during a press conference Thursday — said people in the 18 to 20 age range lacked impulse control and committed gun homicides at four times the rate of those older, according to FBI and Census data. They also noted that assault weapons are far more lethal than other firearms.

Opponents say that those that are 18 are considered adults and thus should have the full, not partial, privileges of the Constitution, and note that younger teens — such as those who are 16 or 17 — could not use many semi-automatic rifles even if supervised by a parent.

While the bill’s supporters point out that existing state statutes give exceptions to the “assault weapon” status for hunting weapons, opponents say many weapons commonly used for hunting would now be outlawed under the bill.

Related Articles Early voting begins in Minnesota: Things to know

Gov. Walz, Minnesota’s pointman on COVID-19, looks back with some regret

Senate Republicans oust second Walz cabinet member as governor extends pandemic emergency

The pandemic changes how candidates run for the Legislature

MN Gov. Tim Walz calls Friday special session; plans to extend powers A pair of Democratic-sponsored gun control bills received a hearing in the House last month, but only because their chief author, Dave Pinto, DFL-St. Paul, used a little-known rule to force one.

No other gun control bills have been slated for hearings this session.

The new bill is now the fifth piece of gun control legislation on file at the Legislature: Pinto’s two bills were filed last year and tabled last week in committee; Rep. John Considine, DFL-Mankato, filed a bill before this year’s session to ban bump stocks; and Rep. Linda Slocum, DFL-Richfield, introduced an expansive gun bill in mid-February.