Gun reform advocates returned to the State Capitol today to pledge support for four new bills under consideration. Nancy Nord Bence with Protect Minnesota says change must happen now. She told a packed room of supporters and reporters “gun violence is a pervasive negative influence in our state and nations, stealing lives, devastating families oppressing communities and costing Minnesota over $2 billion annually.” And she says “more Minnesotans die from gun violence every year than from opioid abuse or motor vehicle crashes. It’s time to treat gun violence like the public health crisis that it is.” Bence joined DFL House lawmakers in calling for universal background checks, gun violence research, gun violence protection orders and a trauma-informed gun violence reduction bill. Gun rights advocates have questioned whether passing legislation on these and other measures would actually make people safer.