During the end of session, Senate Democrats brought forward multiple pieces of unvetted legislation in a last-ditch effort to get partisan legislation to the finish line. A number of provisions in these bills had previously been debated on the Senate Floor, and many bipartisan amendments were accepted onto the original bills. Unfortunately, when these bills went to conference committees, most of the bipartisan amendments were stripped out and other unrelated provisions were added instead. Two egregious examples of this were the cannabis education funding for minors and pregnant women, and numerous public safety provisions.

For the Judiciary and Public Safety Conference Committee Report, many key amendments with bipartisan support that were previously accepted in the Senate were eliminated in conference committee including the following:

• Increased penalties on highway demonstrations
• Requiring the State Patrol to conduct a comprehensive study for the swift and safe removal of highway protests
• Closing a loophole and create a specific crime of fleeing police in a car
• Creating a crime of knowingly being in a stolen vehicle
• Removing those convicted of human trafficking, criminal sexual conduct, manslaughter, or murder from early release through the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act (MRRA)

“Every amendment that was adopted onto the Judiciary bill had bipartisan support – it felt as if there was a true interest in working to make this bill better in a bipartisan way that served all of Minnesota, yet most of the commonsense amendments were stripped out when the bill went to conference committee,” said Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville). “I’m incredibly disappointed that so much bipartisan agreement was eliminated… Increasing penalties on dangerous highway demonstrations, addressing issues within the MRRA, and cracking down on those who steal vehicles – these are commonsense solutions that put safety at the forefront and focus on keeping folks safe. For a bill that’s meant to prioritize public safety, it sure does a poor job of doing so.”

The Agriculture, Commerce, and Energy bill faced a similar fate. The final bill eliminated the cannabis funding that was meant to provide education to youth and pregnant and/or breast-feeding women. The drug carries significant risks, and education around the substance is imperative.

“As Minnesota moves toward legalization of marijuana and likely widespread cannabis use, it’s important that everyone knows the risks associated with the drug,” continued Howe. “With all the money spent over the last few years, it’s truly shameful that not even a little funding could be allocated to this important cause.”