Category: Minnesota Legislature

House Education Finance Committee Reviews Safe School Plan; Federal Funds for MN Public Schools

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SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the House Education Finance Committee held a remote hearing to review Governor Walz’s executive order requiring local school districts to establish a safe learning plan for the upcoming school year. In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), school districts will create their plans for either a hybrid, distance learning, or in-class model based on what best fits that individual district’s student population, and the viral presence in each county. A copy of the Safe Learning Plan 2020-21 can be found here.

“The safety, wellness, and health of our students, families, and educators is at the forefront of the plan for schools as the virus evolves and the legislature continues to partner with MDE and MDH,” said House Education Finance Committee Chair Jim Davnie (DFL-Minneapolis). “The long-lasting impacts this pandemic will have in underserved communities will call leaders at every level to focus resources to meet the educational, and social and emotional developmental needs of children. At the same time districts will need to work to meet the nutrition and mental health needs of children in their communities.”

The committee also discussed previous and proposed federal funding to help districts navigate the pandemic’s impacts on public schools from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act/CRF). $38.1 million has been allocated in federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds to eight regions across the state. $140.1 million is available from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. Of these funds, 60% will be dedicated to operational costs that include increased cleaning, testing, and transportation adjustments. 40% will be allocated for student, family, and educator needs to assist with mental health, translation, digital supports and more. Additionally, the Minnesota Department of Education is applying for $256 million in CRF funds that will address operating costs, PPE supplies for schools, and funding for COVID rapid testing for school staff. 

Materials from the Minnesota Department of Education and Health related to the Safe Learning Plan can be found on the committee’s website.

DFL Party Endorsed Candidates Triumph

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SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Though some results are still outstanding, it looks as though almost every DFL Party-endorsed candidate won their primary election tonight. DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement on the strength of the DFL Party endorsement: 

“Tonight, the grassroots democracy at the heart of the Minnesota DFL Party triumphed. With most results in, it appears that the candidates endorsed by the DFL Party won almost all of their primary elections.

“Our endorsement process is unique among state parties and I’m proud that it allows DFL Party supporters, activists, and concerned citizens to have a voice in the candidates we support and the values we champion. In the past few weeks, the DFL Party has made almost 1 million phone calls on behalf of our endorsed candidates and that organizing work has paid off in a major way tonight. Thanks to our grassroots endorsement process, the DFL Party is and will always remain a party of, by, and for the people of Minnesota.”

Governor calls lawmakers back for summer’s third special session

After special sessions in June and July, an August one is on the calendar.

Gov. Tim Walz has issued a proclamation calling the Legislature back to St. Paul at noon Aug. 12, and he will extend the COVID-19 peacetime emergency by 30 days to help the state continue to respond to the pandemic.

This third special session of the summer is expected to be brief, legislative leaders say.

“In August, we will be selling bonds that were previously authorized,” House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) said at news conference earlier this week. “That means there will be a financial quiet period, which means the August special session will probably be a very quick in and out.” Continue reading.

Building a Better Future for All Minnesotans

House and Senate DFL unveil Minnesota Values Project

This week, House and Senate DFLers unveiled the 2020 edition of the Minnesota Values Project, an initiative designed to engage legislators, Minnesotans, and community groups in a conversation about the future of our state. The Minnesota Values Project was started in 2017 when House DFLers traveled the state to listen to Minnesotans and have conversations about our shared values.

“Minnesotans care deeply about our state and want to see one another succeed,” said House Majority Whip Liz Olson. “Working together, across race, religion and geography, we can strengthen our communities by improving outcomes for all of us. Organizing together, we have the power to decide our future – just as we’ve done in the past.” Continue reading “Building a Better Future for All Minnesotans”

House Judiciary Committee holds hearing on Criminal Justice Reform in the Judiciary

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division held a remote hearing to discuss issues surrounding Criminal Justice Reform and the Judiciary. The committee chair, Rep. John Lesch (DFL – Saint Paul), sees potential for numerous changes within the courts to better deliver justice and fairness.

“As part of our criminal justice reform work in Minnesota, we must recognize the courts play a significant role in whether or not folks have a real opportunity to turn their lives around, particularly when it comes to having a ladder out of poverty,” Rep. Lesch said. “When people can’t afford to pay a fine or fee for a minor traffic ticket, can’t afford to post bail, have their property unfairly forfeited, or can’t get an offense removed from their record when they’ve demonstrated they’ve turned things around, they find themselves working harder to dig out from a bigger hole. This results in a constant struggle to gain access to employment and housing, which are necessary to sustain themselves in our communities. Many of the ideas on the table are bipartisan in nature and I’ll remain committed to moving them forward. We must hold people who do bad things accountable, but justice for less than all can’t continue to be the status quo.”

The hearing predominantly focused on four subject areas: forfeiture reform, cash bail reform, court fines and fees reform, and record expungement. Support for the reforms discussed spans the political and ideological spectrum, with testimony coming from the likes of Julia Decker, policy director of ACLU-MN as well as from Jason Flohrs, state director of Minnesotans for Prosperity. Continue reading “House Judiciary Committee holds hearing on Criminal Justice Reform in the Judiciary”

House Veterans Affairs Division discusses Veterans Restorative Justice Act

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, Minnesota – Today, the House Veterans and Military Affairs Division held a remote hearing to discuss the Veterans Restorative Justice Act. The measure, authored by Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL – International Falls), includes new sentencing recommendations for veterans who have experienced PTSD or another service-related disorder to refer them to treatment rather than jail or prison.

“Veterans courts are a proven model that ensures those who have served our nation have an opportunity to get the mental health or substance abuse treatment they need to turn their lives around while holding them accountable,” said Rep. Ecklund, chair of the House Veterans and Military Affairs Division. “For many young people who have experienced trauma during their service, incarceration simply doesn’t help the problem. It’s time to advance this bipartisan legislation so our state can be a leader in helping our veterans – who have made wrong decisions – have a second chance at a bright future.”

The legislation creates an alternative sentencing option for veterans with service-connected trauma, substance abuse, or mental health conditions who commit certain crimes under a certain severity threshold. Upon pleading guilty and agreeing to terms, veterans can be eligible for redirection into diversion programs, participation in veteran-focused programming, probation instead of jail time, and treatment programs. After successful completion of probation and related veterans programming, a veteran can be eligible to have crimes eliminated from their record. Continue reading “House Veterans Affairs Division discusses Veterans Restorative Justice Act”

Minnesota Senate DFL End of Session Review

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SPECIAL SESSION #1

Governor Tim Walz extended his peacetime emergency, which fostered the need for a special session that started June 12 and provided the opportunity to pass several important provisions such as police reform and accountability, a robust bonding bill to build a stronger, more equitable economy, and the distribution of millions of dollars in federal assistance to local units of government from the CARES Act.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Capitol on Friday — the Juneteenth celebration of the end of slavery — to demand passage of the House DFL’s criminal justice package. It would add more officer training, boost community-led alternatives to policing, and raise the threshold for using deadly force from “apparent” to “imminent” threats to officers and others. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans didn’t listen to people from the community, the POCI Caucus, or recommendations from the taskforce, and this important legislation did not pass as a result.

Senate Republicans also held up negotiations on a bonding bill – leaving jobs on the table as Minnesotans are facing the economic storm brought on by COVID-19.  A bonding bill is an economic development tool that will create thousands of much-needed jobs across the state, put more Minnesotans back to work, boost our economic recovery with shovel-ready projects, protect our state-owned assets, and make sound investments that Minnesota communities are asking for. A Special Session agreement was never reached so a vote never took place on the floor in either body. The chairs in the House and Senate had indicated that they will continue to work together to find an agreement that everyone can support. Continue reading “Minnesota Senate DFL End of Session Review”

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: July 21, 2020

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July 21, 2020

Updates from the Governor

George Floyd’s death brought the urgent need for meaningful police reform into sharp focus for Minnesotans across the state. And last night, the Legislature passed bipartisan police accountability and reform measures.

Governor Walz looks forward to signing the long-overdue reforms that will strengthen transparency and community oversight of policing, ban chokeholds and ‘warrior training,’ expand autism awareness and mental health de-escalation training for officers, and change the circumstances under which officers can use deadly force.

Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan thank communities of color and the People of Color and Indigenous Caucus, who have led this conversation and fought tirelessly for change. This bill does not end the Governor and Lt. Governor’s commitment to people, families and communities impacted by police violence, and they will continue working closely with those most affected to achieve meaningful change. Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: July 21, 2020”

Minnesota lawmakers pass sweeping package of police accountability measures

The Legislature passed a sweeping package of police accountability measures early Tuesday morning following two months of touch-and-go negotiations after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

The bill, one of the most substantial changes to the state’s criminal justice system in years, includes a statewide ban on chokeholds and neck restraints — such as the one used on Floyd — and a prohibition on warrior-style training for officers. It enhances data collection around deadly force encounters, requires officers to intervene and creates a new state unit to investigate such cases. The bill boosts funding for crisis intervention training, creates a panel of expert arbitrators to handle police misconduct cases and establishes incentives for officers to live in the communities they police.

The House approved the measure 102 to 29 just before midnight. The Senate passed it 60 to 7 a couple of hours later and sent the bill this morning to Gov. Tim Walz. Continue reading.