GROSSELL RESPONDS TO PUBLIC SAFETY BILL PASSAGE

ST. PAUL — The Public Safety and Judiciary Omnibus bill passed the House Tuesday, having been stripped of all controversial or anti-police policy. The compromise bill that passed included the Officer Arik Matson Bill, which increases penalties for first degree assault of a criminal justice official. The bill also includes increased penalties for crimes related to child phonography from a bill (HF2100) authored by Rep. Matt Grossell, R-Clearwater, during the 2021 regular session.

"Since being elected in 2016, I have worked to protect victims and hold predators accountable for crimes against the most vulnerable in our society — our innocent children," said Rep. Grossell. "I am glad the public safety bill included an increase to the penalties for the dissemination of child pornography. This increase is not enough but it is a start to toughen our weakest-in-nation child phonography laws. I will continue the fight for victims and to keep dangerous criminals away from the most vulnerable in our society."

The bill also included revisions to the criminal sexual conduct statute, which will bring justice to countless victims of sexual assault. It also lacked the harsh business mandates originally included in the Judiciary portion of the bill, such as the salary history ban and housing discrimination protections.