PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY & OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
INTERIM HEARING
September 29, 2010
Room 5 State Office Building
Meeting Minutes
Debra Hilstrom, Chair of the Public Safety Policy & Oversight Committee, started the House Public Safety Policy & Oversight Committee Interim Hearing at 8:35 am on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 in Room 5 of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted roll:
Present:
Bigham, Karla
Hilstrom, Debra
Johnson, Sheldon
Mullery, Joe
Lesch, John
Excused:
Anderson, Bruce
Cornish, Tony
Drazkowski, Steve
Kath, Kory
Kelly, Tim
Kohls, Paul
Kulick Jackson, Gail
Masin, Sandra
Olin, Dave
Paymar, Michael
Rosenthal, Paul
Shimanski, Ron
Other Members Present:
Sen. Warren Limmer
Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen
Sen. Linda Higgins
Agenda/Actions
Ted Sampsell-Jones, Professor at William Mitchell College of Law, provided a presentation on updated case law in drug policy, and took questions from the committee.
Suzanne Alliegro, Executive Director of Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines, provided a presentation on drug offender sentencing data, and took questions from the committee.
Anne Wall, Researcher, Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines, testified on drug offender sentencing data, and took questions from the committee.
Jessica Rugani, Assistant Anoka County Attorney, presented on law and prosecutorial practice in Anoka County, and took questions from the committee.
Dan Douglas, Anoka Hennepin Drug Task Force, presented on common drug amounts and types in Minnesota, and took questions from the committee.
Pat McDermott, Assistant Blue Earth County Attorney, presented on prosecutorial practice and drug court in Blue Earth County, and took questions from the committee.
John Stuart, State Public Defender, presented on Minnesota’s drug sentencing laws, and took questions from the committee.
Brock Hunter, criminal defense attorney, presented on Minnesota’s drug sentencing laws and took questions from the committee.
Rich Clark, Ramsey County Commander, presented on drug task force and law enforcement issues pertaining to drug policy and took questions from the committee.
Dan Davidson, Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office, presented on drug task force and law enforcement issues pertaining to drug policy and took questions from the committee.
Kellan Hemmesch, Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, presented on drug task force and law enforcement issues pertaining to drug policy and took questions from the committee.
Chair Hilstrom called a recess for lunch at 12:00 pm. She invited members and the audience to listen to David Nelson, a former methamphetamine maker and user during the recess.
Chair Hilstrom called the meeting back to order at 1:04 pm to resume the agenda.
The following individuals presented on drug courts in Minnesota and took questions from the committee:
Judge Robert Rancourt, Chair of Drug Court Initiative Advisory Committee
Judge Lisa Borgen, 7th District Court Judge
Judge John Holahan, 4th District Court Judge
Judge James Swenson, 4th Judicial District Chief Judge
Susan Gross, of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, presented on the Drug Chemistry Section of the BCA, and took questions from the committee.
The following individuals presented on drug offenders in Minnesota prisons and jails and took questions from the committee:
David Crist, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Corrections
Steve Allen, Director of Behavioral Health Services, Department of Corrections
Chris Bray, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
Shelia Fontaine, Probation Agent, Department of Corrections
Jeff Peterson, Office of Hearings and Release, Department of Corrections
Brian Blaha, Lieutenant, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
Sandra Westerman, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
The meeting was adjourned the meeting at 3:50 pm.
Debra Hilstrom
Chair, House Public Safety Policy & Oversight
______________________________
Erin Huppert
House Public Safety Policy & Oversight
Committee Legislative Assistant