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.