Appropriate agencies required to destroy firearms subject to forfeiture that are not kept for a law enforcement purpose.

A bill for an act

relating to public safety; requiring appropriate agencies to destroy firearms subject

to forfeiture that are not kept for a law enforcement purpose; amending Minnesota

Statutes 2024, section 609.5315, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.5315, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Disposition.

(a)
deleted text begin
Subject to paragraph (b),
deleted text end
If the court finds under section

609.5313
,
609.5314
, or
609.5318
that the property is subject to forfeiture, it shall order the

appropriate agency to do one of the following:

(1) unless a different disposition is provided under clause (3) or (4),
deleted text begin
either
deleted text end
destroy

firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories that the agency decides not to use for law

enforcement purposes under clause (8)
deleted text begin
, or sell them to federally licensed firearms dealers,

as defined in section
624.7161
, subdivision 1, and distribute the proceeds under subdivision

5 or 5b
deleted text end
;

(2) sell property that is not required to be destroyed by law and is not harmful to the

public and distribute the proceeds under subdivision 5 or 5b;

(3) sell antique firearms, as defined in section
624.712
, subdivision 3, to the public and

distribute the proceeds under subdivision 5 or 5b;

(4) destroy or use for law enforcement purposes semiautomatic military-style assault

weapons, as defined in section
624.712
, subdivision 7;

(5) take custody of the property and remove it for disposition in accordance with law;

(6) forward the property to the federal drug enforcement administration;

(7) disburse money as provided under subdivision 5, 5b, or 5c; or

(8) keep property other than money for official use by the agency and the prosecuting

agency.

deleted text begin

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the Hennepin or Ramsey County sheriff may not sell

firearms, ammunition, or firearms accessories if the policy is disapproved by the applicable

county board.

deleted text end

deleted text begin

(c)
deleted text end
new text begin
(b)
new text end
If property is sold under paragraph (a), the appropriate agency shall not sell

property to: (1) an officer or employee of the agency that seized the property or to a person

related to the officer or employee by blood or marriage; or (2) the prosecuting authority or

any individual working in the same office or a person related to the authority or individual

by blood or marriage.

deleted text begin

(d)
deleted text end
new text begin
(c)
new text end
Sales of forfeited property under this section must be conducted in a commercially

reasonable manner.

new text begin

EFFECTIVE DATE.

new text end

new text begin

This section is effective July 1, 2026.

new text end