SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — On Tuesday, April 27th, the Senate POCI Caucus sent a letter to Governor Walz and Legislative Leaders urging that the Public Safety and Judiciary conference committee begin it’s work immediately, that conferees be required to complete their work by the end of the week delivering the final bill that will be sent to the floor of both Houses by Monday, May 3rd, and be promptly sent to the Governor for his signature or veto. This is to ensure that these critical police reform decisions are given the time necessary to be discussed publicly and independently without being used as a bargaining chip in unrelated budget negotiations. The House POCI Caucus concurs with this call to action and released the following statement of support:
“In just two weeks since the killing of Daunte Wright, one week since the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin, Senate Republicans are already sweeping police accountability under the rug. Our demands to transform our public safety and judicial system must not be ignored. Each day wasted is another day closer to another preventable tragedy. Governor Walz and the Legislative Leaders should not be fooled by the relative quiet. We are in the midst of a crisis, and our communities of color and Indigenous communities are demanding structural changes so we can live in a Minnesota where our lives are valued and protected. It is time that we learn from the loss of Daunte Wright, George Floyd, and countless others. We must pursue transformational police reform that will create a just Minnesota where everyone is treated fairly and safely.
“It is critical that our communities are able to witness the full conference discussion of our public safety and judiciary priorities. A transparent process that is free of ‘backroom’ deals is the only way to ensure the calls from our communities are valued and considered. Public trust in the process is incredibly low, and in order to mend the relationship between our public safety system and our BIPOC communities, we must create a process that is transparent, responsive, and accessible. We have done the work, we ask the Senate Republicans to join us.”
The House POCI Caucus has numerous priority provisions related to public safety and judiciary reform that are designed to improve equitable outcomes, safety, and fairness throughout our justice system. The full list of the most pressing police reform provisions that must be included in the final bill sent to the Governor includes:
- Eliminating Certain Statutes of Limitations For Peace Officers (HF 717 – Vang)
- Classifying Law Enforcement Mental Health Data as Private (HF 864 – Hollins)
- POST Board Policy Bill (HF 1366 – Mariani)
- Limiting Certain Traffic Stops for Equipment Violations (HF 2529 – Frazier/Moller/Becker-Finn)
- Public Safety Data Omnibus Bill (HF 1374 – Frazier)
- Regulating the Use of No Knock Warrants (HF 1762 – Hollins)
- Modifications to POST Board Compliance Review (Added on 4/8)
- Law Enforcement Training on Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (HF 28 – Youakim)
- Modifications to Body-Worn Camera Policies (HF 1103 – Thompson)
- Law Enforcement Model Policy on Response to Public Assemblies (HF 445 – Mariani)
- Law Enforcement Citizen Oversight Councils (HF 640 – Gomez)
- Prohibit Law Enforcement Affiliation With White Supremacy Groups (HF 593 – Frazier)
- Prohibit using tear gas, chemical weapons, and kinetic energy munitions (HF 2546 – Xiong J.)
- The Hardell Sharrell Act (HF 1267 – Long)
- Redefining Public Safety to Prioritize Human Rights (HF 2433 – Mariani)
- DPS Policy Proposals (HF 1370 – Mariani)
- Innovation in Community Safety (HF 723 – Thompson)
- This section combines HF 723 with the Governor’s Innovation in Community Policing proposal.
- Study on Liability Insurance for Police Officers (HF 440 – Hollins)
- Travis’s Law (HF 1686 – Hanson)
- Sign and Release warrant proceedings (HF 2539 – Long)
- This is currently a standalone bill.
The People of Color & Indigenous (POCI) Caucus includes Reps. Esther Agbaje (59B), Jamie Becker-Finn (42B), Cedrick Frazier (45A), Aisha Gomez (62B), Hodan Hassan (Vice- Chair 62A), Kaohly Her (64A), Athena Hollins (66B), Fue Lee (59A), Carlos Mariani (65B), Rena Moran (65A), Mohamud Noor (60B), Ruth Richardson (52B), John Thompson (67A), Samantha Vang (Chair, 40B), Jay Xiong (67B), Tou Xiong (53A).