Community corrections population threshold change passed by House

Minnesota's Community Corrections Act authorizes the Department of Corrections to make grants to counties to assist in the development, implementation and operation of community-based corrections programs, such as probation, in lieu of incarceration.

Its purpose is to improve government efficiency with smaller counties taking advantage of the larger counties resources, such as sharing facilities or programming, and the state would invest in probation resources in all areas to support community corrections.

A county or group of contiguous counties with a population of at least 30,000 can enter the CCA.

The 33 CCA counties have organized into 17 administrative jurisdiction units and are collectively referred to as the Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act Counties. Of the 54 Minnesota counties that are not part of the CCA; only 18 meet the current population threshold.

Sponsored by Rep. Dale Lueck (R-Aitkin), HF2870, as amended, would address an issue in his district by grandfathering in counties in a joint powers agreement that have participated in the CCA for at least five years whose population falls below the threshold.

Passed 125-2 by the House Thursday, the bill now goes to the Senate where it is sponsored by Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL-Northfield).

Lueck said the amended bill would resolve a situation in Aitkin County, a current CCA county through a joint powers agreement. The other two counties with populations over 30,000 residents — Crow Wing and Morrison — have elected to withdraw from the agreement effective July 1. Aitkin County would like to remain in the CCA, but has a population of roughly 17,000.

“This corrects a problem with the least amount of disruption,” Lueck said.