Governor Walz recently sat down with the Associated Press and outlined several of his major goals for the next year. At the top of the list were two items: gun safety reform and insulin access.
We applaud Governor Walz and DFLers in the Legislature for working on solutions to these crucial issues. Every Minnesotan deserves safety and security, whether it’s safety from gun violence or the security that comes with access to insulin. Here are the plans DFLers have put on the table:
Emergency Insulin
The price of insulin has been skyrocketing recently because big pharmaceutical companies have a monopoly on the drug. They have spent years hiking costs on diabetics who need insulin to survive, all to make a quick buck. The result is that a single vial of insulin, which costs roughly $30 in Canada, can cost over $300 in the United States.
Too many people can’t afford their insulin and have been forced to ration it as a result, which can be dangerous and even fatal. That’s why the DFL is working to pass an emergency insulin bill, which would provide a 90-day supply of insulin to Minnesotans who cannot afford the medication. This program would be paid for by the same drug companies that began this crisis by hiking prices. Senate Republicans have refused to consider this emergency insulin bill, but we are going to keep applying pressure to them to deliver insulin reform for Minnesota families.
Universal Background Checks & Red Flag Laws
The logic behind universal background checks is simple: is someone is too dangerous to purchase a gun from a licensed gun retailer, then they’re too dangerous to purchase a gun from a private seller. The case for universal background checks is so airtight that 90% of Minnesotans support implementing them.
Red flag laws are crucial because, often times, perpetrators of mass attacks will show warning signs leading up to those attacks. With red flag laws in place, law enforcement can present evidence to a court that an individual poses a danger to themselves or their community. If the court finds this to be true, their weapons can be temporarily confiscated. Red flag laws can also lead to a serious reduction in gun suicides, which are the leading cause of firearm-related deaths.
Unfortunately, once again, Minnesota Senate Republicans have refused to even hold hearings on gun safety bills. DFLers will keep fighting to pass these proposals, and if Senate Republicans continue to block us, then we’ll beat them at the ballot box in 2020.