From Session Daily, the latest wrinkle in the Minnesota School Resource Officer saga.
Conference committee adopts House language on school resource officer bill
By Brian BashamIt took about eight minutes Tuesday morning to resolve what should be the final piece in providing clarity to school resource officers.
A conference committee on HF3489 quickly approved an agreement that it is expected to be before both the House and Senate later this week.
Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope), the House sponsor, did not give a closing comment, but Rep. Jeff Witte (R-Lakeville) offered kudos.
“We’ve worked hard, we’ve worked together, and we found compromise. The goal now is to get our SROs back in the schools so our students and teachers can be safe,” he said.
The bill would clarify language around the use of certain choke holds and face-down prone restraints resource officers can place on students and update use-of-force standards for those officers. It would remove language specific to contracted security and school resource officers placing restraining holds on students.
Passed 124-8 by the House March 4, the Senate amended the bill Monday and passed it 57-9.
The Senate amendment, which House supporters object to, would have allowed a teacher, school principal, school employee or, school bus driver to restrain students “to prevent theft, damage, or destruction of property.”
“This literally expanded the use of prone restraints in schools, not constrict them,” said Sen. Bonnie Westlin (DFL-Plymouth), the Senate sponsor.
Here's the Minnesota House Information Services YouTube of the meeting:
Photo: Rep. Cedrick Frazier and Sen. Bonnie Westlin listen to Sen. Jim Abeler during Tuesday’s conference committee regarding the school resource officer bill. (Photo by Michele Jokinen/ Session Daily).
Related posts
- Another SRO fact check: does new MN law governing prone restraints in schools cause new issues at River Bend Education District?
- DFL leadership shuts down special session talk; Minnesota Peace & Police Officers Association says school resource officers can return
- Do cops actually make schools safer? Will changing new law on use of prone restraint?
- Fact check: was SRO restraint language added to ed policy bill at session's end, as Baker claims?
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post.
Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.
I'm on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6
Comments