News Release
Rep. Terry Stier: Minnesotans Deserve Real Solutions on Public Safety
St. Paul – In the aftermath of the horrific attack at Annunciation Church, Representative Terry Stier (R-Belle Plaine) renewed his call for practical, bipartisan reforms to address the root causes of violence and ensure Minnesotans are safer in their schools, homes, and communities.
“If we are serious about protecting Minnesotans, we need a multi-layered approach that deals with the real problems: untreated mental illness, gaps in school security, and a justice system that too often fails to hold repeat offenders accountable,” Stier said. “Simply pushing more gun restrictions might sound good in a press conference, but it does not stop evil people from committing these crimes.”
House Republicans are committed to pursuing real solutions, including:
- Expanding school safety funding to non-public schools - Democrats ignored pleas from the Minnesota Catholic Conference in 2023 to make non-public schools eligible for security funding allocated to public schools
- School security grants (including the SHIELD Act - HF 15)
- Flexibility for school funding streams to be used for safety improvements
- Making School Resource Officers available to every school
- Repeal or amend the Democrats' prohibition on doctors using their best medical judgment, instead of leaving their hands tied with political decisions made by the Democrat trifecta
- Boost funding for mental health treatment beds
- Mandatory minimum prison sentences for repeat gun criminals and for straw purchasers who enable a violent crime
“These are solutions that can earn broad support and make a real difference,” Stier continued. “Minnesotans deserve better than partisan fights and political theater. They deserve policies that protect families, support law enforcement, and hold criminals accountable.”
Stier emphasized that Republicans are ready to work across the aisle to deliver these reforms. “We can either keep scoring cheap political points or we can get serious about passing policies that will save lives. I’m committed to the latter.”
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