The Minnesota appeals court gun trigger ban decision has left a previously blocked law unenforced, after judges declined to reinstate restrictions on certain rapid-fire gun devices while legal challenges continue. The ruling means the state cannot currently enforce its ban on binary triggers, a mechanism that allows a firearm to discharge a round both when the trigger is pulled and released.
According to court proceedings reported by regional media, the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s earlier decision that prevented enforcement of the law. The case stems from a 2024 legislative measure that sought to prohibit binary triggers as part of a broader public safety effort.
However, the law’s passage has been at the center of the dispute. A Ramsey County judge previously ruled that the provision was unconstitutional, not based on the substance of the ban itself, but on how it was enacted. The judge found that lawmakers included the measure within a large omnibus bill, potentially violating Minnesota’s constitutional requirement that legislation address a single subject.
State attorneys had asked the appeals court to allow enforcement of the ban while the broader case moves forward. The court’s refusal to do so means the lower court’s injunction remains in place, and the binary trigger ban Minnesota provision is still not active.
Supporters of the original law have argued that restricting such devices is necessary to address gun violence risks, noting that binary triggers can significantly increase a firearm’s rate of fire. Critics, however, have focused on the legislative process, arguing that the way the law was passed undermines constitutional safeguards, regardless of policy intent.
Legal experts say the Minnesota gun law ruling highlights a recurring issue in state legislatures, where large omnibus bills are sometimes used to pass a wide range of unrelated measures. Courts may intervene when such practices conflict with constitutional requirements, even if the policy itself is not directly challenged.
The firearm regulation court case is expected to continue, with the possibility of further appeals. Lawmakers have also considered reintroducing the ban through a standalone bill to address procedural concerns, though no final action has been confirmed.
For now, the Minnesota appeals court gun trigger ban outcome leaves the legal status of binary triggers unchanged, pending future court decisions or legislative action. Officials caution that the situation remains fluid as the case moves through the judicial process.
