Minnesota Gun-Rights Group Threatens Lawsuit as Edina Drafts Local Firearms Ordinance

Edina, Minn. — November 13, 2025 — The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus has warned the City of Edina that it will file an immediate lawsuit if the city enacts a proposed local firearms ordinance — a move the group says would violate state law that reserves gun regulation to the Minnesota Legislature.

The warning follows the Edina City Council’s October 22 directive instructing city staff to draft local gun-violence prevention measures and a resolution urging state lawmakers to repeal Minnesota’s firearms preemption statute. Council members said the effort aims to consider restrictions on assault-style weapons, large-capacity magazines, and ghost guns, while signaling their frustration that state law prevents cities from acting independently.

“We’re going to make some racket about it and tell you we think it’s wrong,” one council member said during the meeting, underscoring the city’s intent to push for legislative change.

Gun Owners Caucus Warns of Legal Action

In public statements and social media posts, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus (MGOC) called the city’s proposed action “unlawful,” citing the state’s preemption statute and pledging to seek immediate declaratory and injunctive relief if Edina proceeds.

“State law preempts them — and we’ll be suing immediately,” the group stated in a press notice circulated to local media.

Under Minnesota Statute §471.633, “the legislature preempts all authority … to regulate firearms, ammunition, or their respective components” by local governments. Cities may regulate only the discharge of firearms or pass ordinances identical to state law. Legal scholars and advocacy groups on both sides have long cited this statute as the defining limitation on municipal gun control.

Broader Context Across Minnesota

Edina’s initiative mirrors a growing trend among Minnesota cities. On November 12, the City of Saint Paul adopted a gun-violence prevention ordinance banning certain assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines—provisions its authors acknowledge are unenforceable unless the Legislature lifts preemption. Within a day, gun-rights organizations filed suit to block the measure, underscoring how fiercely contested local firearm authority has become.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, a leading Second Amendment advocacy organization, has a record of litigation on such issues. In early 2025, the group successfully challenged parts of the state’s 2024 omnibus gun law in Ramsey County District Court, where a judge struck down the “binary trigger” provision as unconstitutional. The organization says these precedents confirm that local or improperly enacted firearm restrictions are invalid under Minnesota law.

City’s Next Steps

Edina officials have also instructed staff to prepare a resolution urging the Legislature to amend or repeal §471.633, thereby allowing cities to enact their own firearm regulations. City staff will return with draft ordinance language for council review and public comment.

Meeting records and council video indicate that members view the proposal as both a policy statement and a public appeal for stronger gun-safety legislation at the state level — while acknowledging that any enacted ordinance would likely face immediate legal challenge.

Legal Outlook

Analysts note that municipalities have few viable paths under current law:

• Convince the Legislature to repeal or modify §471.633;
• Enact local measures identical to state law; or
• Accept litigation that could render any ordinance unenforceable and expose taxpayers to legal costs.

The rapid succession of city initiatives and court challenges this fall suggests that Minnesota’s debate over local firearm regulation is heading either to the courts or the Capitol for resolution.

What Comes Next

City staff are expected to present draft ordinance language to the Edina City Council later this month. If the measure extends beyond the bounds of state law, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus has confirmed it will file suit immediately.

As of publication, neither Edina officials nor the MGOC have filed new court documents. Public statements, council records, and city meeting footage remain the primary sources outlining each side’s position.

MinneapoliMedia