SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The powerful testimony of Annunciation Church parents this week before the Senate Gun Violence Prevention Working Group left lawmakers visibly shaken and brought both DFL and Republican members to tears.

However, after two lengthy meetings on Monday and Wednesday, the informal working group failed to find a common path forward to respond legislatively to the Aug. 27 mass shooting.

The three-hour sessions, involving six Democrats from the Twin Cities metro and Rochester and five Republicans largely representing Greater Minnesota, highlighted a deep cultural divide around firearms and illustrated how difficult it may be for the split legislature to pass any bipartisan gun legislation in a special session.

The group's DFL co-chairs, Sen. Ron Latz and Sen. Zaynab Moham

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