Regardless of how anyone may feel about
statute 624.714 it was specifically written the way it was to curtail potential judicial activism. That is not to say that judges can't issue decisions about the law when a case concerning it is filed, they certainly can and have (for more information on that see
here). What it does is prevent orders not tied to a case from being issued by judges that don't think people should be able to carry in "some special place". In Minnesota those decisions are up to the legislature and not the judiciary unless a civil case is filed, ruled on and upheld (which has happened once). However no judge in Minnesota can issue an order that restricts permitted carry on public property, including city halls and police stations. The few places that do have a restriction (court houses and some state buildings) only require, by
statute 609.66 subd 1g, that the permit holder send notice to either the county sheriff or the commissioner of public safety notifying them that the permit holder will be carrying in those buildings. Here is the relevant portion of that statute:
"Subd. 1g.Felony; possession in courthouse or certain state buildings.
(a) A person who commits either of the following acts is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both:
(1) possesses a dangerous weapon, ammunition, or explosives within any courthouse complex; or
(2) possesses a dangerous weapon, ammunition, or explosives in any state building within the Capitol Area described in chapter 15B, other than the National Guard Armory.
(b) Unless a person is otherwise prohibited or restricted by other law to possess a dangerous weapon, this subdivision does not apply to:
(1) licensed peace officers or military personnel who are performing official duties;
(2) persons who carry pistols according to the terms of a permit issued under section
624.714 and who so notify the sheriff or the commissioner of public safety, as appropriate;
(3) persons who possess dangerous weapons for the purpose of display as demonstrative evidence during testimony at a trial or hearing or exhibition in compliance with advance notice and safety guidelines set by the sheriff or the commissioner of public safety; or
(4) persons who possess dangerous weapons in a courthouse complex with the express consent of the county sheriff or who possess dangerous weapons in a state building with the express consent of the commissioner of public safety."
Notice that in section b2 the statute states that a permit holder only has to notify, not request permission. Not that that matters in this discussion as the Minneapolis Police Department is not located in one of those types of buildings. I do know that some judges have issued orders that affect permitted carrying in courthouses under the mistaken belief that statute 609.66 allows them to deny it (it doesn't) and no one has challenged those rulings probably because of the time and money involved in doing so but that does not make the orders legal and to the best of my knowledge that has only been in court houses, not other building types.
Added: This law is constitutional under the Minnesota constitution. The people that wrote it ensured that after the 2003 version was deemed unconstitutional by the state supreme court.
