Public Safety Bill Will Make 92% of Inmates Eligible for Release

I voted no on this bill because it simply amounts to a get-out-of-jail-free card for criminals.  Their bill reduces prison time from 2/3 of an offender’s sentence to half, which would release about 7,400 inmates from incarceration.  Also, the Sentencing Guidelines Commission will begin a “comprehensive review” of sentencing guidelines. Given the commission and Gov. Walz’s recent emphasis on letting offenders out early, I am concerned about the motivation for this review and what the result will be. 

While the bill does provide funding for important initiatives such as school safety, human trafficking prevention, and mental health support, it does not address the lack of accountability and transparency measures for law enforcement, judges, and prosecutors.  It’s clear the bill falls short of what we need to do to keep our communities safe.  We need to hold those in power responsible and ensure that repeat offenders are not allowed to re-offend.  We have a better plan. Republicans rolled out a comprehensive public safety plan earlier this year that would support police, confront criminal threats, and hold judges and prosecutors accountable for their decisions. This is what we should prioritize in public safety.

Agriculture

The agriculture bill is not completely bad. The bill provides essential funding to expand broadband access in areas where it is needed most, and it includes grants for various agricultural programs such as meat processing, dairy premium payments, biofuels, and noxious weed prevention.  Many Republicans supported these programs when we held the Senate majority.  However, I voted no on this bill. 

The bill’s omission of controversial policy items, such as bans on treated seeds or certain fertilizers, is a positive development. Additionally, the Board of Animal Health will not undergo an overhaul, which is also a win. 

BUT, there is one provision in the bill that I felt was a dealbreaker: the “grain indemnity program.” This program is essentially an agricultural commodity storage tax that could harm farmers. The program forces farmers to pay into a fund that will reimburse other farmers in the event of elevator bankruptcy, regardless of whether they can afford it. Farmers already have the option to purchase insurance from grain elevators, so the mandatory program only serves to create another government bureaucracy that takes away farmers’ autonomy. I have spoken to a number of farmers who have grave concerns about it.

It is important to support our farmers and ag communities. However, we must also ensure that government programs do not impede farmers’ ability to operate their businesses independently. The grain indemnity program is not an acceptable solution and must be revised to better serve the needs of our agricultural communities. I can’t support a bill that includes it in its current form.

Contact me

I love hearing your feedback. It helps me serve you to the best of my ability. If you have any questions about any issues we are working on at the legislature, feel free to contact me any time at sen.mark.koran@senate.mn or 651-296-5155.

And you can always get the latest news from St. Paul on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MarkKoranforSenate.

 It is a privilege to serve you!

Mark