SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota House tonight is expected to pass a new two-year Public Safety and Judiciary budget. The bill includes funding for corrections, the courts, criminal apprehension, human rights protections and many other areas, along with investments in a safer, more just Minnesota.
The budget includes two significant measures to prevent gun violence in Minnesota. One would require criminal background checks to be performed prior to all gun sales and another would provide for Extreme Risk Protection Orders, allowing law enforcement to restrict access to firearms if a court determines a person may be a threat to themselves or others. A fact sheet about steps other states have taken to address gun violence is available here.
“Minnesotans want action to reduce gun violence in our communities,” said Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL - Rochester), a member of the House Judiciary Division. “It’s simple: A person who is not eligible to possess a firearm should not be able to buy one. Background checks stop ineligible people from buying guns. I’m proud that the House DFL is taking this issue seriously and passing a strong public safety bill that reduces gun violence in our state.”
Following the tragic loss of two Minnesota corrections officers within the past year, the budget strengthens safety by funding new correctional officer positions. It also re-establishes the Department of Corrections’ Ombudsman to take complaints, conduct investigations, and make recommendations regarding our prisons, jails, and other correctional facilities. The House DFL bill also bans private prisons, which are motivated by profit and not safety or offender outcomes.
The budget includes several measures to address gender-based violence, including repeal of the marital rape exemption, elimination of the statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct, a task force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and requiring police departments to have written policies for investigating sexual assault cases.
After listening to Minnesotans, House DFLers are also advancing the conversation about cannabis. A Cannabis Task Force established in the budget would be charged with exploring issues that would arise if cannabis was legalized in Minnesota for personal use. The task force would examine issues of public safety, public health, tax policy, and regulatory oversight. The budget also includes new graduated penalties for certain marijuana offenses along with the decriminalization of cannabidiol (CBD).
Other highlights of the Public Safety and Judiciary budget include:
- Increases in funding for the state’s courts, including expansion of treatment courts and new judge positions
- Funding for additional public defender positions to address high caseloads
- Reforms to Minnesota’s probation system, include a cap of five years except for the most serious offenses
- Discretion for judges to reduce or waive fines and fees for traffic, parking and minor criminal violations based on financial hardship
- A variety of police officer professional development initiatives.
- Limits on the use of cash bail
- Increased funding for the Department of Human Rights, including new offices across the state
- New or expanded penalties for drunk or distracted driving in certain circumstances
- Reforms of the use of solitary confinement
- An update to Minnesota’s sexual harassment law to strengthen protections against such behavior in workplaces, previously passed by the House
- Creation of the Legislative Commission on Intelligence and Technology
- Strengthened cybersecurity for the court system
The Minnesota Senate passed an inadequate Public Safety and Judiciary budget last week, which underfunds public safety and does nothing to address common-sense gun violence prevention.
Lawmakers from each chamber will form a conference committee to craft consensus legislation.