Lions laying down with lambs?

Every once in a while pigs actually do fly and Hell does freeze over. On Thursday, it happened when a lawmaker who has constantly pushed for stricter gun control laws actually agreed with a member of the National Rifle Association.

DFL Rep. Michael Paymar of St. Paul, who pushed to close the gun show loophole. appeared before the House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee to push a bill that would include pets in court orders designed to protect a person from harm (AP has a story on the bill here).

Paymar said the bill would give battered women an extra incentive to leave a dangerous relationship.

"If you go to any battered women's shelter and talk with people who advocate for battered women," Paymar said. "They will tell you story after story of women, primarily, who stayed in abusive relationships way too long because the threat of losing their pet which to them is much like losing their child."

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Paymar won the support of one individual how typically lines up to speak against his legislation. Hamline Law Professor Joe Olson, who is also the president of the Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, testified in support of the bill.

"I think it's a fine bill," Olson told the committee.

After Olson made the comments, Paymar and Olson shook hands as the audience laughed.

"This is going to be a new one," Paymar quipped.

DFL Rep. Debra Hilstrom of Brooklyn Center joked that someone needed to get a picture of the two shaking hands (There is no video of the event but there is audio which you can find here).

"When the lion lays down with the lamb, I'm going to be all for this bill," GOP Rep. Paul Kohls of Victoria said.

The bill now moves to the House floor for a full vote.