ST. PAUL — With little debate, Minnesota’s Senate on Wednesday passed a ban on cellphone cases designed to look like handguns.

Lawmakers first called attention to the lookalike cases last summer, arguing they’re bound to be mistaken for a real firearm and could lead to a disaster. The Senate’s unanimous vote to ban them puts the measure in the hands of the House, where lawmakers have also expressed support for the ban.

“This is a dead ringer for a pistol,” said Sen. Ron Latz, a St. Louis Park Democrat who authored the bill.

Currently sold online, the cases are designed to slip into a pocket with a handle designed to look like the grip of a handgun. If the House follows suit and Gov. Mark Dayton signs the bill, owning manufacturing or selling the cases would be a petty misdemeanor and could result in a $300 fine.

Law enforcement organizations also backed the ban, saying the cases could lead to tragic confusion. But Sen. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, wondered if lawmakers were creating a slippery slope that would lead to more bans on other potentially dangerous look-alikes.