On Tuesday, March 12, Senator Gary Dahms (R – Redwood Falls) voted in favor of a bipartisan fix to last session’s school resource officer (SRO) law. This legislation has the support of Minnesota law enforcement and eliminates the overly restrictive language that hinders their ability to act in dangerous situations. A conference committee recently finished negotiations on the bill, and it will now return to both chambers for final approval.

“School resource officers play a central role in the safety of our teachers, students and staff,” Senator Dahms said. “Unfortunately, last session’s change to our school discipline laws left our SROs unable to fulfill their duties. I am glad we reached a bipartisan resolution to get our SROs back in our schools, but I wish we could have found a resolution sooner.”

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 meet the new 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.

“The SRO issue is an example of why it’s so crucial to fully vet legislation before it becomes law. By bringing Republicans and law enforcement to the table, we were able to find a bipartisan solution. Our SROs will now have the clarity and support they need to do their jobs and return to their schools,” concluded Senator Dahms.

Senator Dahms is in his fifth term representing Senate District 15 which includes communities in Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine counties. He also serves as the Republican Lead on the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and is a member of the Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee and Finance Committee.