Minnesota cities can't regulate guns. St. Paul is introducing an assault weapon ban anyway

St. Paul city leaders are expected to introduce an ordinance in a city council meeting Wednesday that would ban assault weapons in the city.

It’s also an ordinance that — even if passed — would not go into effect unless the state repeals a law that prevents local governments from regulating firearms.

The largely symbolic move comes after the August shooting at Annunciation Church and School that killed two children and injured 28 others in Minneapolis. Efforts toward a special legislative session focused on the shooting have stymied, leading St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and other municipal leaders to push for a pathway to pass their own laws.

“This is so far from the best route to go. The best route would be for Congress to realize that we have a gun violence crisis in America and to ta