Due to uncertainty surrounding a change to a statewide school discipline law, Minnesota has recently seen more than a dozen police departments announce the removal of their school resource officer (SRO). In response, Republicans proposed a bipartisan bill to fix the change in law.

“School resource officers play a valuable role in the efforts to keep teachers, students and staff safe,” Senator Bill Weber (R-Luverne) said. “The removal of SROs from our schools is the latest consequence of hasty decisions made by Democrats this session. Before the new school year starts, we need to take immediate action to provide our officers with clarity. I know that this is an issue that we can find a bipartisan solution to.”

The new law at issue, which passed as a portion of a larger education bill, changes how SROs can operate and use force in the course of their jobs. When this legislation moved through the Senate Education Policy Committee, Republicans voiced their strong concerns with this policy change and urged Democrats to talk with SROs about it. However, Democrats chose to ignore the issues raised and pushed it through without feedback from law enforcement.

The bill as proposed simply repeals the recent law change eliminating prone restraints or physical holds and repeals the change to use of force standards to revert back to the original language that was in statute. The change does not impact the 2021 bill that banned all neck and chokehold restraints and remains in place for students and all Minnesotans.

During the press conference, Republicans also presented a letter from House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) and Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson (R- East Grand Forks) asking the Governor to meet to discuss a special session.