Bill Would Provide Ongoing Funding for Law Enforcement Training
If the measure is not passed, training requirements related to use of force, crisis response, conflict management, cultural diversity, and autism — enacted in 2021 — will no longer be reimbursable.
A bill heard and laid over in the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee on March 11 would provide ongoing funding for the Peace Officer Training Assistance Philando Castile Memorial Training Fund.
The fund was created in 2021 as part of a bill that established new training requirements related to use of force, crisis response, conflict management, cultural diversity, and autism training. It was named after Philando Castile, who was fatally shot by police during a traffic stop. As enacted in 2021, the $6 million in state funding to reimburse employers for officer training expires in 2026.
The measure advancing this session, HF 1256, sponsored by Rep. Paul Novotny (R-Elk River), would create a base general fund appropriation of $6 million per year for the account. Law enforcement groups and the League support the bill.
The League provided a letter of support to the committee. Knowing the state will be facing constraints in the current budget-setting cycle, the letter requests that this bill be a priority in the budget bill, which will be advanced by the public safety committee.
Read the League’s letter of support for HF 1256 (pdf).
The Senate companion, SF 1701, sponsored by Sen. Zach Duckworth (R-Lakeville), has not yet had a hearing.
Your next step
City officials are urged to ask their legislators to support this legislation as part of the omnibus public safety bill that is expected to be negotiated later in the legislative session.
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