We the undersigned groups support Justice For George Floyd and All Families.
The time is now for our legislature to pass meaningful, common sense laws that will hold police accountable and make our families safer.
 
The killing of George Floyd was not an anomaly. Police brutality is a real issue that disproportionately impacts Black, Indigenous, people of color and low income people in Minnesota and across our nation. In Minnesota alone, there have been over 400 deaths from police brutality since 2000.
 
The torture and killing of George Floyd in eight minutes and 46 seconds is perhaps one of the worst police brutality cases in our nation’s history. This happened here, in our state, in our community. In this moment as the entire nation and world watches Minnesota, we have an opportunity to lead the nation by passing pragmatic laws to promote safety, justice, transparency and accountability.

Courageous Minnesotans are currently standing up for justice for all and peaceful protestors are demanding accountability and common-sense laws. Today, we are asking organizations to demand Justice for George Floyd and all Stolen Lives by supporting the following bills during this year’s state legislative session.

These bills would:
1. End Qualified Immunity (HF 1104, SF 580):  This bill ends qualified immunity as a legal defense for police misconduct.  link to bill here
2. Require Police to Carry Professional Liability Insurance (HF 440, SF 815): This bill creates a requirement for law enforcement officers to carry professional liability insurance as a condition of employment. Employing agencies may pay the base but any additional premiums based on officer conduct will be the officer’s responsibility. link to the bill here
3. Strengthen Civilian Oversight (HF 640): This bill repeals MN Stat. 626.89, subd. 17 which prohibits civilian oversight bodies from making findings of fact in complaints against police. link to bill here
4. End Police-Only Responses to Mental Health Crisis Calls (HF 1686, SF 1924): This bill directs mental health crisis calls to the mobile mental health response units that already exist in every county in the state. Link to the bill here
5. End the Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Deaths by Police (HF 717, SF 2021): This bill eliminates the statute of limitations for wrongful death civil suits, enabling families of people killed by police to seek justice. The bill includes a 5 year look back and eliminates the statue of limitation’s for sexual assault by police. Link to bill here
6. Create an Independent Investigative and Prosecutorial Body for Police Critical Incidents: This bill creates an independent investigatory and prosecutory body for incidents where police kill or maim a person.
7.End Prosecution for Reporting Police Misconduct (HF 2201): This bill repeals MN Statute 609.505, subd. 2 which allows police to prosecute people for complaining about them. link to bill here
8.Require Access to Body Worn Camera Footage in Police Critical Incidents within 48 Hours (HF 1103, SF 807): This bill allows families and their legal representatives access within 48 hours to unredacted body-worn camera footage in police critical incidents. link to bill here
9. End No Knock Warrants (HF 1762, SF 2139): This bill prohibits police officers from obtaining no knock warrants except under narrow circumstances. link to bill here

Link to all Bills is here http://bit.ly/Justice4GeorgeFloydMN   

Whatever our race, background or zip code, we all want to move through our communities without fearing for our lives or our loved ones. In this moment we demand