Officials preview new weapon screening process at the Minnesota Capitol

On Friday, officials walked through the Capitol’s new weapons screening process ahead of Minnesota’s upcoming legislative session.

The demonstration was conducted to show visitors what to expect when visiting the Capitol later this year, including how screening will be conducted and where visitors will be screened upon entering the building.

The new screening procedure was implemented after Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order requiring metal detectors and weapons screening at the Capitol ahead of the 2026 legislative session.

The order also cites the shooting deaths of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, along with the shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife on June 14. Both those shootings happened in their homes.

One twist in the State Capitol’s new policy is that Minnesota state law allows permit holders to carry guns on Capitol grounds, a policy that will not change with the new screening.

“I want to be very clear about what this is and what this is not,” State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic said. “This is not a weapons ban, it does not change state law.”

Those who carry a permitted weapon into the building must declare it to security, undergo screening, provide their permit to carry and be cleared.

However, if someone shows up with a gun and no permit, they could be arrested. Screeners will also look for knives and other potentially dangerous weapons.

Visits to the building are especially high during the legislative session, which begins in Minnesota on February 17. Weapons screening will also begin at that time.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said that while the screening will not completely eliminate risks at the Capitol, it would add another layer of protection.

“No single measure eliminates all risk, but this one meaningfully reduces preventable risks and violence in a shared civic space where the public, elected officials and staff gather on a regular basis,” Jacobson said.

During a screening demonstration, the Minnesota State Patrol went through three scenarios. One in which a visitor passed through a metal detector with no prohibited items; one in which a bag required screening; and one in which an armed man with a permit to carry disclosed his weapon and was screened.

The full press conference and screening demonstration are available in the video above.
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