ST. PAUL, Minn. — On Wednesday, Senator Heather Gustafson’s (DFL-Vadnais Heights) bill to increase funding and support for corrections officers was heard in the Judiciary and Public Safety committee. In response, Senator Gustafson released the following statement:
“Corrections officers across the state are at a point of crisis we can no longer ignore. We’ve seen story after story in the news of corrections officers being physically assaulted in prisons too understaffed to intervene and deescalate the situation. It is an outrage that we expect them to dutifully perform their tasks, risk their physical safety, and all for comparable wages to a part-time retail job. The lack of support is dangerous to corrections officers, to people in incarceration, and to our community.
My bill increases funding for resources, recruitment, and retention of corrections officers. These individuals risk their lives, health, and safety to keep our communities safe and should receive fair and long overdue compensation and support.”
Senate File 2137 was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.
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Learn more about Sen. Gustafson.
