ST. PAUL, MN –  Senator Warren Limmer (Maple Grove) presented the Safe & Sound Minnesota plan with Senate and House Republicans this week. The plan includes six of Limmer’s bills as part of a broader package to confront the threat of violent and repeat criminals, strengthen police and improve training for law enforcement, and hold judges and prosecutors accountable with public data and information. Limmer is the Ranking Republican member on the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee in the Senate.  

“Keeping the citizen safe is the primary role of state government,” Limmer said. “These proposals will send a message that judges and prosecutors must take these crimes seriously, and let our law enforcement know that we expect them to do their job to the highest standards. Perhaps most importantly, these bills will actually do something to stop crime with tougher penalties and longer sentences for repeat, violent offenders who continue to victimize the innocent.” 

Confronting the criminal threat and a historic rise in crime, the plan includes bills authored by Limmer creating a new crime of carjacking to state statue; as well as other bills to increase penalties for fleeing police in a motor vehicle; align fentanyl to the same weight thresholds and penalties as heroin; increase sentences for those convicted with at least two prior crimes of violence; and add additional sworn officers on Metro Transit. 

To support the state’s law enforcement officers, the Safe & Sound Minnesota plan includes Limmer’s bill providing $1 million for Pathway to Policing, the award-winning program that brings new recruits into public safety from other careers. The plan includes another proposal from Limmer for $15 million to purchase bodycams for law enforcement departments across the state. Limmer presented both these bills to the Judiciary and Public Safety committee on Friday. Additional recruitment and retention efforts are made with $5 million for college scholarships and technology to help law enforcement students prepare for their role, fulfilling a request of $168 million for police and first responder pension funds.  

Tough laws and great cops can only do so much, however. The Safe & Sound Minnesota plan also puts in place transparency and accountability measures for the state’s courts. Limmer has two bills to accomplish this goal, one to require reporting on how many felony-level offenses go uncharged, as well as a new database by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission for the public to conduct research about judges and their decisions to follow criminal sentences created by the legislature. Another Limmer bill addresses concerns that violent, repeat offenders are too often released without serious judicial consequence for breaking the law, which includes a new mandatory minimum sentence for dangerous criminals who commit crimes with a firearm. Finally, the plan would also make who posts bail payment public data. Recent scrutiny on non-profits bailing out violent criminals shows Minnesotans are at a safety risk when these non-profits aren’t held accountable for their decisions.  

“We can do better for the safety of all Minnesotans, and it should be a top priority this session as we craft a budget and manage the historic surplus,” Limmer concluded.  “I’m hopeful the Democrat Majority will remember their campaign promises and work together to address the public safety needs being demanded by our citizens.” 

Safe & Sound Minnesota

Italicized indicate bills authored by Sen. Limmer.

Confront the criminal threat by: 
 

• Creating a new crime of carjacking with increased penalties for carjacking.  SF 2028  Limmer / HF 478 – Novotny
• Increasing penalties for fleeing police in a motor vehicle. SF 583 – Coleman / HF 1092 – Nash
  
  
• Addressing overdose deaths involving fentanyl-laced illegal drugs by establishing the same weight thresholds and penalties for the sale or possession of fentanyl as currently apply to heroin.  SF 2138 – Kreun HF 615 – Baker / SF 2659 – Seeberger
  
  
• Increasing sworn officers on Metro Transit SF 2470 – Kreun / HF 2668 – Petersburg $15M 
  
  
• Rape Kit processing SF 1249 – Seeberger / HF 1279 – Edelson $10.5M (Coleman, Housley are co-authors)
  
  
• Increased sentences for offenders with two or more prior crimes of violence convictions.  HF 216 – Hudson / SF 853 – Lucero
  
  
• Increased penalty for transferring a firearm to an ineligible person.  HF 548 – Scott / SF 733 – Coleman
  
  
• Ensuring follow up to remove firearms from those who have domestic abuse backgrounds and have been ordered by a judge to give them up SF 2496 – Kreun / HF 2663 Engen
  
  
• Grants to Ramsey County Sheriff for coordinating violent crime prevention and State Patrol for air patrol. HF 261 – Engen. $3M

Strengthen the police and improve their training by: 

• Recruiting more law enforcement with established programs that have bi-partisan support such as Pathways for Policing. SF 1199 – Limmer / HF 929 – Johnson. $1M 

• Investing in training and body cameras for police departments across the state. SF 1198 – Limmer / HF 1078 – Johnson $15M 
  
  
• Strengthening college technology for officer training and Scholarship programs with higher education institutions. SF 2120 – Farnsworth / HF 2810 – Novotny $5M 
• Fund law enforcement pension contribution request.  SF XXXX – Rasmusson $168M

Hold judges/prosecutors accountable by: 

• Requiring reporting by County Attorneys to provide data to the legislature about felony level offenses that go uncharged.  SF 949 – Limmer / HF 534 – Scott
  
  
• Requiring the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission to construct a website that the public may use to conduct research about judges and record the decisions they make in following the criminal sentences created by the legislature. SF 1541 – Limmer / HF 1417 – Novotny
  
  
• Incorporating mandatory sentencing in current law for dangerous criminals who commit crimes with a firearm. SF 1059 – Limmer / HF 1417 – Novotny
  
  
• Who posts bail is public data.  HF 1450 – Novotny / SF 1556 – Koran