Hello from the State Capitol,
It has been a week since a deranged madman opened fire at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, killing two innocent kids and injuring many more.
As you might expect, I am receiving outreach from constituents with all sorts of suggestions of what to do or not do in response to this tragedy.
Governor Walz has already said he is calling a special session for the legislature to deal with “gun laws.” Regardless of your feelings on this topic, there is one fact that cannot be argued: a governor can only call a special session. He cannot solely determine the topics that can be discussed during it, or tell lawmakers when it will end, unless there is agreement from the legislature.
As we saw during regular session with a House that had an equal number of Republicans and Democrats and a Senate with a 1-seat Democrat majority, if any bill is going to pass it’s going to need bipartisan support.
With that in mind, House Republicans unveiled a school safety agenda this week that will protect students, provide desperately needed mental health care, and hold criminals who commit the vast majority of gun violence accountable – all of which should appeal to Minnesotans regardless of their political preference.
Some of the provisions include expanding school safety funding to non-public schools; providing school security grants and flexibility for school funding streams to be used for safety improvements; making School Resource Officers available to every school; repealing or amending the prohibition on doctors using their best medical judgment; boosting funding for mental health treatment beds; and mandating mandatory minimum prison sentences for repeat gun criminals and for straw purchasers who enable a violent crime.
It is my hope the governor isn’t considering a special session to score political points. We need a multi-layered approach that tackles the root causes of school violence, from untreated mental health to gaps in school security. There are plenty of broadly supported reforms that will keep our schools and our communities safe, and approving them should be our focus.
HIGH SCHOOL PAGE PROGRAM NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!
If you know of a high school junior that is interested in the political process, please encourage them to sign up for the Minnesota House High School Page program. Participants will take part in committee hearings, House floor sessions, and more! In my opinion, there is no better way for a high school junior to learn about state government.
For details and application links, please click here.