SAINT PAUL – This morning, the Minnesota House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division approved the Minnesota Police Accountability Act of 2020. The package of legislation – comprised within three bills – was developed following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Officer and is aimed at re-imagining and reforming public safety in the state.
“George Floyd’s killing not only horrified our own community, but has mobilized people across the globe to demand justice for black, brown, and indigenous people whose lives are too often taken by members of law enforcement,” said Rep. John Lesch (DFL – Saint Paul), the division chair. “The point in time we find ourselves demands us to act boldly, and the solutions in this legislation will help our state begin to tackle deep inequities and reform accountability.”
The division approved all three bills – authored by Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL – Saint Paul): HF 76, the Reclaiming Community package, HF 77, the Reforming Accountability package, and HF 78, the Re-imagining Public Safety package.
Earlier this morning, the House Government Operations Committee also approved the package of legislation, and the House Public Safety Division is considering the measures at this hour.
A research memo about the legislation can be accessed here.