This Minnesota House bill (H.F. No. 2245) seeks to eliminate the state's shotgun zone for deer hunting and transfer the authority to regulate firearms used for deer hunting to individual counties.

Key Provisions: 1. County Authority to Regulate Firearms: The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.031, to allow county boards to adopt ordinances restricting the types of firearms used for deer hunting in their jurisdictions. Any such ordinance would require public notice and a hearing and would be valid for a maximum of one year, with renewal requiring the same process.

1. Repeal of the Shotgun Zone (Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.318): The bill repeals the statute that currently designates a shotgun-only area for deer hunting. This area previously required hunters to use shotguns with slugs, muzzleloaders, or handguns instead of rifles.

Impact: If enacted, the bill would remove statewide regulations restricting the use of certain firearms for deer hunting, instead allowing individual counties to impose their own restrictions through a local ordinance process.