Minnesota House Passes Police Accountability Bill

The Minnesota House passed a bill that imposes restrictions on no-knock warrants and limits police officers’ ability to arrest low-level offenders who miss court appearances, reports The Associated Press. Democrats and protesters at the State Capitol said the bill doesn’t go far enough in constraining police power. But Republicans, some of whom voted for the bill to avert a partial state government shutdown, said they would refuse to approve stricter measures. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz imposed some changes via an executive order, allocating $15 million for violence prevention programs and allowing families of people killed by officers of state law enforcement agencies to view the body camera video within five days.

The bill, which also contains limits on the use of informants, follows last year’s police accountability package. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police, Minnesota lawmakers passed a measure banning the use of chokeholds. Democratic Rep. Carlos Mariani, of St. Paul urged lawmakers to approve the “mighty bill,” yet acknowledged it lacked adequate accountability measures. Top Senate GOP negotiator Warren Limmer, of Maple Grove, blamed the pushback on the state’s “divided government.” Protest organizer Toshira Garraway said the House should reject the bill and attempt to pass a stronger measure, calling the persistent police killings of Black people in Minnesota “a state of emergency.”