The Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee today heard and approved a bill authored by Senator John Jasinski (R-Faribault) that would increase the presumed amount of time convicted felons would spend behind bars to three-quarters of their sentence. Inmates would be eligible for early release and community supervision for the remaining quarter of their sentence. Current law calls for an inmate to serve two-thirds of their sentence.

“We have seen too many instances of convicted criminals reoffending on jeopardizing the safety of innocent people, including injuries and deaths,” said Sen. Jasinski. “We have a responsibility to keep the public safe, but often that’s not happening. The punishment should fit the crime, and Inmates found guilty of crimes worthy of prison must serve a sufficient portion of their sentence.”

From January 2020 to July 2021, Minnesota’s inmate population dropped by 2,000 inmates – roughly 20% of the entire inmate population. Minnesota has historically had some of the lowest incarceration rates in America. Only habitual offenders and the “worst of the worst” end up with prison time.

The bill was laid over and will be considered for a larger public safety bill later in session.