Republican leaders calling on Walz to call special session to address School Resource Officers issue

(ST PAUL) — Republican leaders in Minnesota’s House and Senate are calling on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to call a special session to address safety within school communities.

In a letter to Walz, Minnesota House Minority Leader Lisa DeMuth and Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson say, “Senate and House Republicans are ready to help address this urgent problem and ensure all members of our schools can have safe environments that promote learning and community. Let's show Minnesotans we can come together to correct this mistake, and return these law enforcement professionals to their posts as soon as possible.”

The law at issue was passed as an education bill, and changes how school resource officers can operate and use force in their jobs in school buildings. The bill repeals the recent law change eliminating prone restraints or physical holds and repeals the change to use of force standards to revert back to the original language that was in statute. The change does not impact the 2021 bill that banned all neck and chokehold restraints and remains in place for students and all Minnesotans.