- The Minnesota Legislature convened to focus on expediting legislation to address limits on police powers in schools enacted last year.
- These restrictions were part of several restrictions on the use of force passed in response to the killing of George Floyd.
- Law enforcement agencies removed officers from schools last fall in response to the new rules.
The Minnesota Legislature will convene Monday to rush legislation to amend a law enacted last year that limits the power of school police officers to restrain disorderly students.
The changes are among several use-of-force regulations passed in the state since the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020 drew international attention to the state over racism and policing. was one of the limitations. Several law enforcement agencies pulled their officers from Minnesota schools last fall, saying the new rules were unenforceable.
The House and Senate ordered a 14-week session around noon Monday with a relatively modest agenda. They will take a breather after a crucial 2023 legislative session in which Democrats used their newfound full control of statehouses to enact nearly every bill on their ambitious wish list. right. This includes expanded abortion and transgender rights, paid family and medical leave, universal free school meals, child care credits, and other assistance for families. The main issue this year is the public infrastructure borrowing package, known as the bond bill. The session must end by May 20th.
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The House has scheduled the first of at least three hearings on a potential resolution to the school resource officer dispute Monday night, with a floor vote possible as soon as next week. Provide clarity by developing statewide standards for school resource officer training, including minimizing the use of prone restraints and other holds that may impede breathing while promoting conflict. It will develop model policies for school districts regarding appropriate use. De-escalation.
The Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on February 12, 2024, the first day of the 2024 session. The Minnesota Legislature will convene Monday to rush legislation to amend a law enacted last year that limits the power of school police officers to restrain disorderly students. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
The bill also expands from last year’s law, which requires that a threat of injury or death be “imminent” before a teacher or principal can use “reasonable force” to prevent injury or death to students or others. Removed the requirement that there be one.
The Democratic-controlled House rejected a procedural attempt by the Republican minority to bring the issue to the floor immediately.
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“Democrats have delayed solving this problem long enough to compromise the safety of our students and school staff. We can’t wait any longer,” Republican House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring said during the debate. said.
Rep. Cedric Frazier, D-New Hope, the House’s lead sponsor, countered that it’s more important to get the bill a public hearing first so all stakeholders can discuss it.
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, a former high school teacher, told reporters the goal is to create a compromise where school resource officers and teachers have a clear understanding of what they can do in situations where they need to restrain a student. He said the goal is to reach. That all sides can move forward with confidence.
A Senate committee is scheduled to take its first consideration of the bill on Wednesday. Democratic Majority Leader Erin Murphy of St. Paul said she expects the bill to be brought to the Senate floor within the next two to three weeks.
Advocates for people with disabilities and mental illness have raised concerns about potentially weakening protections for vulnerable students, while law enforcement groups have called for changes to more clearly protect police from civil liability. I asked for it.
Prior to the convocation, Democratic Sen. Mary Kunesh of New Brighton led a chant of “ERA! ERA!” Hundreds of people carrying green signs rallied in the Capitol Rotunda to demand the Equal Rights Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution, the top priority for Democrats in the General Assembly.
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The amendment would ban sex discrimination, add abortion rights, and permanent constitutional protections for gender identity and expression. The 2023 legislative session removed nearly all restrictions on abortion from Minnesota law. Supporters would like to prevent them from being restored in future sessions. The amendment will be on the 2026 ballot, giving supporters more time to campaign for it.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson of East Grand Forks accused Democrats of “playing politics” by waiting two years and not letting voters decide in November. He said the amendment contained “extreme language” about abortion and other social issues.
Supporters of making Minnesota a “sanctuary state” for immigrants without permanent legal status want state and local governments to share data and cooperate with federal authorities on civilian immigration enforcement. They rallied outside the Capitol in support of a bill that would ban them from doing so. Democratic majorities in the House and Senate are narrowly divided on the issue, and House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a Brooklyn Park resident, told reporters she didn’t think there were enough votes to pass the bill.
