1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; expanding the permissible purposes for which certain 
1.3 	persons may possess and use firearms silencers;amending Minnesota Statutes 
1.4 	2008, section 609.66, subdivision 1h.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 609.66, subdivision 1h, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 1h.Silencers; authorized for law enforcement and wildlife control 
1.8 	purposes. (a) Notwithstanding subdivision 1a, paragraph (a), clause (1), licensed peace 
1.9 	officers may use devices designed to silence or muffle the discharge of a firearm for tactical 
1.10 	emergency response operations and for practice on approved shooting ranges. Tactical 
1.11 	emergency response operations include execution of high risk search and arrest warrants, 
1.12 	incidents of terrorism, hostage rescue, and any other tactical deployments involving high 
1.13 	risk circumstances. The chief law enforcement officer of a law enforcement agency 
1.14 	that has the need to use silencing devices must establish and enforce a written policy 
1.15 	governing the use of the devices.
1.16 	(b) Notwithstanding subdivision 1a, paragraph (a), clause (1), ~~until July 1, 2011,~~
1.17 	an enforcement officer, as defined in section 97A.015, subdivision 18, a wildlife area 
1.18 	manager, an employee designated under section 84.0835, or a person acting under contract 
1.19 	with the commissioner of natural resources, at specific times and locations that are 
1.20 	authorized by the commissioner of natural resources may use devices designed to silence 
1.21 	or muffle the discharge of a firearm for wildlife control operations that require stealth. 
1.22 	If the commissioner determines that the use of silencing devices is necessary under this 
1.23 	paragraph, the commissioner must:
2.1 	(1) establish and enforce a written policy governing the use, possession, and 
2.2 	transportation of the devices;
2.3 	(2) limit the number of the silencing devices maintained by the Department of 
2.4 	Natural Resources to no more than ten; and
2.5 	(3) keep direct custody and control of the devices when the devices are not 
2.6 	specifically authorized for use.
2.7 	(c) Notwithstanding subdivision 1a, paragraph (a), clause (1), a person who is 
2.8 	employed as the sales representative for a federally licensed firearms manufacturer, 
2.9 	as defined by United States Code, title 18, section 921(a)(10), and Code of Federal 
2.10 	Regulations, title 27, section 478.11, and who is not prohibited by any law or court from 
2.11 	possessing firearms generally, may possess samples of devices designed to silence or 
2.12 	muffle the discharge of a firearm, for the sole purpose of demonstrating such devices on 
2.13 	the premises of a law enforcement agency or at an approved shooting range, for sale to 
2.14 	licensed peace officers and those agencies.

2.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2010.