The SAFE Act
This week we heard a lot of discussion about the proposed SAFE Act. This bill appropriates $35 million into an account that will be used to address extraordinary or unplanned public safety events. The Minnesota House will vote on this bill on Monday, February 15th.
I was fortunate to be able to discuss this bill with several law enforcement officials from our district. I always appreciate their input, and I want to make sure to always support the heroes that protect our communities.
There are parts of this bill I like, and there are parts of this bill that set a bad precedent.
First, I believe we need to fully fund our police officers. Last summer, law enforcement officers from across Minnesota went to Minneapolis to address civil unrest. Many of the police departments and sheriff’s offices that sent officers were not reimbursed for the costs that were incurred. This bill would set up a fund to make sure law enforcement agencies across Minnesota are properly reimbursed when they serve in another jurisdiction.
However, I am concerned that this bill centralizes power with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. There are portions of this bill that give the commissioner of public safety broad power to decide which law enforcement agencies will receive reimbursements. I do not want to empower government officials in St. Paul, I want to make sure law enforcement agencies make the decisions that are right for them.
For this reason, I will vote against the bill on Monday.
My Heartbeat Bill
$150 Million for Minneapolis
Governor Tim Walz has proposed a plan to use $150 million of bonds to help rebuild the portions of Minneapolis that were damaged last summer.
To be clear, I will not support sending tens of millions of dollars to Minneapolis. I understand that there are many people who feel differently. However, I cannot support a proposal that rewards failed leadership.
The elected leaders of Minneapolis must take responsibility for their policy decisions. Their embrace of the “defund the police” movement is ill-advised as we have seen. As such, I do not think every Minnesotan should pay for a massive bailout when the problems that exist in Minneapolis have not been dealt with.
Contact:
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or my office. My email address is Rep.Tim.Miller@house.mn. Additionally, please reach out to my Legislative Assistant, Luke, with any questions. Luke’s email is Luke.Sprinkel@house.mn. Emailing is the fastest way to get in contact with me. Contact me anytime with questions or concerns.
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