Senator Duckworth Supports Budget Bill To Keep Minnesotans Safe And Hold Criminals Accountable

St. Paul – On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate passed the Judiciary and Public Safety budget bill to prioritize the funding of programs for domestic abuse shelters, crime victim services, emergency communications and 911 services.

The legislation included Senator Zach Duckworth’s (R-Lakeville) Senate File 1034, which requires the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Use of Force Investigative Unit to investigate criminal sexual conduct cases where one member of the Minnesota National Guard accuses another member of the Minnesota National Guard of criminal sexual conduct. Additionally, an advancement included in the bill will close the “intoxication loophole” brought to light by a Supreme Court ruling that overturned a sexual assault conviction because the victim was voluntarily inebriated.

“I am committed to keeping all Minnesotans safe and holding criminals accountable. I am happy this bipartisan legislation will help give survivors the justice that they so rightfully deserve,” Duckworth said. “It is our duty to protect those most vulnerable and this bill supports what we need to be doing as a state to prioritize safety.”

Highlights include: 

  • Increased penalties on child pornography, sex trafficking and solicitation of children, and child torture
  • Harsher penalties for individuals selling fentanyl
  • Increased probation funding to supervise and protect communities where offenders live
  • Expansion of alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders
  • Appropriation for the “Healthy Start Act,” a temporary release program for pregnant and postpartum inmates

The legislature is committed to ensuring Minnesota’s constitutionally required public safety responsibilities are met through a robust Judiciary budget. In the 2020 Special Session, Senate Republicans passed a widely supported, bipartisan package of common-sense reforms for Minnesota law enforcement. That legislation included a chokehold ban, duty to intervene, training on crisis response and flexibility, and many other reforms to ensure the safety of our officers and Minnesotans.