Senate Finance Committee approves Senator Jasinski bill in honor of Arik Matson to strengthen penalties for deadly force assault of a police officer

The Senate’s Finance Committee today approved a bill chief authored by Senator John Jasinski (R-Faribault) that strengthens state criminal penalties for individuals who are convicted of assault that causes great bodily harm to a police officer, judge, prosecutor, or correctional officer. The legislation increases the maximum sentence from 20 to 25 years for great bodily harm, and if the assault causes great bodily harm and was committed with deadly force or using a dangerous weapon, from 20 to 30 years. In either case, a perpetrator would serve a longer mandatory minimum sentence in prison. The bill is in honor of Officer Arik Matson, a Waseca police officer who was nearly killed in the line of duty last January

“We are extremely grateful for Minnesota’s police officers who put their lives on the line, in the hardest of circumstances, to keep us safe,” said Sen. Jasinski. “This is a common sense, pro-public safety measure that honors Officer Matson’s service — and the service of every law enforcement officer — by showing the community’s strong support for police and the tough work they do every day.”

Senator Jasinski, Officer Matson, Rep. Petersburg, and others participated in a press conference announcing the bill in January. Watch the press conference here.

The bill now awaits a vote of the full Senate.

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