Farnsworth also encouraged House and Senate to move quickly through a conference committee process

ST. PAUL – Today Sen. Farnsworth (R- Hibbing) voted to repair changes made to student resource officers (SRO) laws last year. After an amendment was added, the bill passed the Senate with a 57-9 vote. About an hour later, the House voted to send the bill to a conference committee to work out the differences.

“I’m glad we finally got to move this bill passed from the Senate today. The bipartisan support demonstrates the change last year was unnecessary,” Farnsworth said. “The role of SROs cannot be understated – they are a vital part of building relationships, mentoring students, and maintaining a safe environment for learning. I encourage both the House and the Senate to move quickly with a conference committee so our SROs can be welcomed back as soon as possible.”

With the start of the 2023 school year, school districts across the state found the change in language meant SRO contracts would need significant changes to comply with the law. Many law enforcement agencies removed SROs or repositioned them to be stationed outside school buildings. The short-term impact was almost immediately felt as reports of violence at schools were shared widely. Just last week, an SRO was sent to the hospital after breaking up a fight.