On Monday, the Minnesota Senate passed emergency funding for law enforcement, as requested by Governor Walz. The bill, S.F. 2441, secures $2.75 million for the law enforcement response to civil unrest through the Interstate Emergency Management Assistance Compact and $6.3 million for Minnesota State Trooper expenses related to the unrest and Chauvin trial. 

“Minnesota’s police officers, state troopers, and National Guard answer the call of duty every single day and rise to the challenge of their job to protect Minnesota and its residents,” Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria) said. “Over the past year, we have called upon them time and time again. The legislation passed today ensures that they receive emergency funding that they desperately need so that they have the adequate resources to perform their duty protect our communities.”

Earlier this session, the Senate passed legislation funding for the Law Enforcement Operations Account (LEO), committing to keep Minnesotans safe by securing resources for emergency law enforcement operations tied to extraordinary and unplanned emergency events. 

House Democrats failed to pass the bill or Governor Walz’s version of the legislation, known as SAFE. Additionally, House Democrats have not introduced any of their own provisions regarding emergency police funding, jeopardizing the safety of residents of the Twin Cities and hindering law enforcement’s ability to respond to emergency events.   

The legislation is the byproduct of a public safety conversation between legislative leaders and the Governor over the weekend. Legislative leaders all agreed with the importance of getting the bill done at the time of the request.