Already gun advocates have successfully fought off proposed legislative bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines in Minnesota.

Now, they’re working against the last big gun-control proposal — universal background checks — pushing an alternate gun bill that doesn’t expand such reviews.

A majority of the state House has signed on in support, as has the National Rifle Association and the Minnesota Sheriffs Association.

“We attempted to put together a proposal that has bipartisan support, as well as geographic balance,” said Rep. Debra Hilstrom, DFL-Brooklyn Center, a sponsor of the alternate bill.

“We believe that this is a proposal that can bring people together in Minnesota … to improve the background check system that we currently have while holding felons responsible for the crimes that they commit.”

But supporters of universal background checks were miffed by the proposal introduced Wednesday, March 6. They argued that some legislators are caving to NRA pressure despite overwhelming public support for expanding checks to all gun purchases, including those at gun shows.

And any bill that doesn’t include universal background checks won’t have the backing of two key committee chairmen, as well as Minnesota’s police chiefs and officers.

“I think they’re out of touch with the majority of Minnesotans on this issue,” said Rep. Michael Paymar, DFL-St. Paul, who heads the House public safety panel and whose own gun bill includes universal background checks.

“The mistake that’s being made here is they believe that suburban Republican and rural Democrats will get cover for voting for the NRA bill and say they did something on gun violence prevention. I think the public is smarter than that and will see right through the ruse,” he said.

Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, said not including universal background checks “leaves a gaping hole in the effort to protect Minnesotans from people getting guns who shouldn’t have them.”

“The NRA does not control the state Senate,” said Latz, who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee. “We will independently decide what to support or not support.”

Latz and Paymar have said they doubt they will hear the bill in their committees before March 15, when all policy bills must get at least one hearing to advance in the Legislature.

Supporters of the new bill might need to rely on a rules trick to get it onto the House floor for a vote. The proposal would:

— Beef up the state’s background check system.

— Strengthen penalties for those who sell to disqualified people.

— Give prosecutors more tools to crack down on illegal gun owners.

Seventy-three lawmakers from both parties — a majority in the 134-member House — signed on to the bill.

The December shooting at a Connecticut school has prompted gun-control legislation in states across the country. In Minnesota, some supporters of the newer alternate bill say it has the best chance to pass the Legislature this session. Democrats are in control of both the House and Senate, but many rural DFLers are reluctant to support legislation that might appear to restrict the rights of gun owners. That includes universal background checks.

“There’s nothing in here that any gun owners have to fear about their rights,” said Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center.

“And what we came to do here today is to not beat up on any party or any legislator or any bill. … We wanted to finally get a bill that concentrated on criminals’ access to guns over anything else.”

Supporters of stricter gun-control laws, though, said they were baffled that lawmakers would try to retreat on background checks, given polls showing there is public support for them.

A KSTP/SurveyUSA poll released last month found about 75 percent of Minnesotans surveyed said they supported background checks on anyone who wants to buy a gun. That survey was conducted Feb. 1-5 and had a margin of error of 3.9 percentage points to 4.4 percentage points, depending on the question.

“It’s terribly disappointing. People here don’t want to take on the big issues. They just want to focus on what can pass,” said St. Paul resident Tom Goldstein, who has been lobbying state lawmakers daily on gun-control issues.

“The public wants universal background checks.”

“We see that as the single most important issues to reducing gun violence in Minnesota,” said Dennis Flaherty, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association. “Any bill that doesn’t include universal background checks is incomplete to us.”

But Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek, who supports the more modest gun legislation, said gaps in the existing background-check system should be addressed before lawmakers try to expand it.

“This bill is the only bill that protects Second Amendment rights, while strengthening background checks done under existing laws,” Stanek said.

Gov. Mark Dayton reiterated his support for universal background checks Wednesday, saying he would be disappointed if the bill that reached his desk didn’t include expanding checks.

But the DFL governor didn’t say he would veto the bill.

“I veto a bill for what’s in it, not what’s not in it,” Dayton said.

Megan Boldt can be reached at 651-228-5495. Follow her at twitter.com/meganboldt.