Senate Democrats made their public safety priorities clear: giving convicted felons the right to vote no matter their crime and allowing non-citizens the right to a driver’s license with no protections for elections or national security.  

Taking up felon voting first, Senate Republicans offered amendments that would require at least a two-year waiting period for voting rights to be restored, regardless of probation length. Republicans also offered additional amendments to prevent certain egregious violent criminals and those convicted of a felon for voter fraud from regaining their right to vote until their full sentence – both incarceration and probation- are completed.  

The “Driver’s Licenses for All” bill was the second bill on the floor, which allows immigrants who are here illegally access to a standard state driver’s license. Senate Republicans proposed key amendments highlighting concerns with the bill, calling it an “all-access pass” for illegal immigrants. Amendments included: denoting the license is for driving privileges only and cannot be used for voting, addressing a national security loophole that would allow illegal immigrants access to federal buildings and flights with a Minnesota driver’s license before the REAL ID standards are enforced, ensuring traffic safety, and requiring data sharing for the purposes of helping victims of crime.  

“These bills send a clear message to Minnesotans that Senate Democrats are not interested in providing tax relief to those who abide by the law, but they are instead willing to expand the rights of those who break the law,” said Senator Nathan Wesenberg (R-Little Falls). “Senate Republicans offered a number of commonsense amendments to both of these bills in an attempt to ensure election, state, and federal security. Unsurprisingly, every amendment was struck down on party line votes. These bills undermine our laws and do nothing to help law-abiding Minnesotans.”