Senate public safety bill will keep communities safe and hold criminals accountable
By: Senator John Jasinski
Public safety continues to be one of the top issues I hear about from folks around the district. Recently we passed a comprehensive public safety bill that provides critical funding to hold criminals accountable and keep Minnesota’s communities safe. It focuses on all aspects of the criminal justice system and courts, including youth intervention, criminal laws, sentencing guidelines, police, prosecutors, public defenders, judges, prisons, and probation.
The bill also includes a provision I have been working on this session. Senate File 2850 will increase the amount of time that criminals spend behind bars from two-thirds of their sentence to three-quarters.
The bill has three main objectives: to provide support for law enforcement recruitment and retention, toughen penalties for criminal activity, and increase transparency and accountability in judicial and prosecutorial actions.
The bill strengthens our support for law enforcement by addressing the central issues currently facing Minnesota’s law enforcement officers: recruitment, retention, education and training, and equipment.
Minnesota is experiencing a dangerous increase in violent crime across the state because criminals are not being held accountable for their crimes. The Public Safety Committee adopted several “tough on crime” bills that increase penalties for repeat offenders, carjackers, and violent crimes involving firearms. There is also enhanced support for the Violent Crime Enforcement Teams (VCET), which have been successful at targeting drugs and guns across the state.
Prosecutors and judges are too frequently letting criminals off easy only to see them commit additional, and often worse, crimes. This bill takes several steps to improve transparency for the decisions made by prosecutors and judges that lead to early releases and failures to charge criminals to the fullest extent possible.
Recruiting and retaining more workers in southern Minnesota
When I talk to small businesses in our area, they tell me that one of the biggest challenges they are facing is a shortage of workers. The pandemic certainly didn’t help, but many of these issues have been a problem for years – especially outside the metro.
Recently, the Higher Education Committee heard my bill that would help Owatonna and Steele County recruit and retain talented workers by providing funding for Owatonna’s Learn to Earn program. The program is a partnership of The Owatonna School District, the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, and Riverland Community College aimed at expanding and attracting a talented workforce.
The $1 million bill will provide funding for three main objectives:
- To develop educational learning spaces with state-of-the-art equipment and student support services in high-demand career pathway programs
- To create learn-to-earn opportunities for students and employers with tuition reimbursement or scholarships and part-time work options and school schedules for employees who participate in continuing education
- To conduct a comprehensive local needs assessment to examine current and future workforce needs in the region.
Contact me
If you have any questions about the issues we are working on at the legislature, feel free to contact me any time at sen.john.jasinski@senate.mn or 651-296-0284. It is a privilege to serve you!