SAINT PAUL, Minn.— Today, the Minnesota Senate voted on criminal justice reform legislation proposed by Senate Republicans. During the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy hearing early this morning, all five of the proposed Senate Republican bills were largely criticized for insufficiently addressing racial disparities in our criminal justice system. Senator Jason Isaacson released the following statement:
“The members of the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus have worked tirelessly on legislation that addresses criminal justice disparities and injustices within our public safety system. Instead of hearing bills led by members of color, the Senate Republicans proposed bills that ignore inherent structural issues and lack accountability. We cannot fix our system without listening and following the lead of Black voices. Now is the time to pass transformational legislation, and I am deeply disappointed by the weak package brought forward today by Senate Republicans.”
Senate bills introduced by Senate DFL members of the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus that have not received hearings:
SF 87 – Peace officer deadly force use authority modification
SF 93 – Choke holds and other restraints prohibition; law enforcement agencies to update policies regarding to use of force requirements
SF 94 – Duty for peace officers to intercede when another peace officer is using unreasonable force requirement
SF 84 – Peace-officer-involved death prosecutorial authority attorney general assignment and appropriation
SF 92 – Minneapolis and St. Paul peace officers residency requirements
SF 95 – Peace officers warrior-style training prohibition
SF 78 – Law enforcement citizen oversight councils local units of government requirement
SF 86 – Right to vote restoration upon incarceration release or sentencing without incarceration
SF 81 – Peace officers standards for crisis intervention and mental illness crisis training establishment
SF 83 – Bureau of criminal apprehension (BCA) use of force investigations unit establishment and appropriation
SF 88 – Release on bail use limit
SF 89 – Right to vote restoration upon incarceration release or sentencing without incarceration
SF 79 – Civil statute of limitations for certain actions by peace officers extension
SF 80 – Peace officer complaint or charge against type of data included in status clarification
SF 82 – Peace officer grievance arbitration arbitrator selection modification
SF 85 – Autism training development and implementation for peace officers requirement and appropriation
SF 115 – Public safety critical incident stress management information as evidence prohibition; law enforcement use of force reporting; critical incident review process for peace officer involved shootings establishment; office of community-led public safety coordination establishment
SF 116 – Prohibiting public safety critical incident stress management information as evidence; reporting law enforcement use of force
SF 117 – Miscellaneous law enforcement provisions modification
SF 118 – Establishing a critical incident review process for peace officer involved shootingsSF 119 – Modifying a peace officer’s authority to use deadly force; assigning prosecutorial authority for peace-officer-involved deaths to the attorney general; establishing an independent Use of Force Investigations Unit within the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; limiting the use of money bail for certain
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