Clay County Sheriff Mark Empting presents cadet program details to the Clay County Commission on Jan. 20, 2026.
MOORHEAD (KFGO-KVRR) — Beginning in January 2025, Minnesota law enforcement have not been able to access expunged records—records of criminal convictions that have been destroyed or sealed from state or federal view. Clay Count Sheriff Mark Empting is one of many law enforcement officials supporting a bill that would allow access to those records.
Earlier this week, Empting testified during a Minnesota House Public Safety Committee meeting. The committee presented a bill that would allow law enforcement to access the expunged records specifically for applications to receive, purchase, or carry a firearm.
“We’re not taking away the rights of lawful citizens. We don’t want to do that. That’s not our intent. We just want to be able to look at the current disqualifiers and be able to make our decisions based on that,” said Empting.
Empting says the current law is a public safety concern.
“Maybe that disorderly conduct was pled down, but we didn’t know about the domestic assault. So we need to see that history, so we can make the best decision necessary moving forward with those applications,” Empting said.
Clay County an increase in gun permit applications in 2205. Without full records, Empting said the current view on applications gives only a 10,000-foot view of an individual’s history.
“We issue out thousands of permits every year to lawful, responsible citizens. We just want to make sure that we don’t issue out a permit to somebody that has some of that violent behavior in the past,” said Empting.
Empting says he believes the bill will pas, and the expunged records may be available to law enforcement as early as August 1st.
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