Minnesota Legislature repeals community justice reinvestment account amid funding concerns

The House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee convened on April 2, 2025, to discuss significant legislative changes impacting community safety funding in Minnesota. The meeting focused on two key bills: the repeal of the community justice reinvestment account and the elimination of the community crime and violence prevention account.

The first item on the agenda was the proposal to repeal the community justice reinvestment account, which was established to provide grants for mental health and chemical dependency treatment programs. Since 2019, the account received an annual transfer of $461,000 from the general fund. The bill aims to discontinue this account and the associated funding. During the discussion, Chair Mueller expressed concerns regarding potential cuts to vital programs that support mental health and substance abuse treatment, especially in light of anticipated federal funding reductions. He emphasized the importance of understanding how these cuts could affect the programs that rely on this funding.

Representative Bliss followed up by highlighting the state's projected $6 billion deficit, attributing part of the financial challenges to previous budget decisions. He criticized the handling of the budget and the implications of federal cuts, suggesting that the committee's efforts to address funding issues were being undermined by external factors.

Chair Mueller reiterated the reality of federal cuts impacting local services, noting recent layoffs within the Minnesota Department of Health due to funding reductions. He stressed the need for clarity on how these changes would affect the programs supported by the community justice reinvestment account.

The committee then moved on to the second bill, which proposed the elimination of the community crime and violence prevention account. This account was established in 2023 with a $70 million transfer from the general fund, allowing the Department of Public Safety to allocate grants for crime prevention initiatives. The new bill seeks to transfer the remaining balance of $42 million back to the general fund.

Vice Chair Witte noted that there were no author testifiers for this bill, but public testimony was invited. The first public testifier, Maggie Emery, the executive director of Protect Minnesota, addressed the committee, representing the state's only statewide gun violence prevention organization.

The meeting concluded with the committee laying over House File 2892 for further consideration. The discussions highlighted the ongoing challenges of funding community safety programs amid budget deficits and federal funding uncertainties, prompting a reevaluation of how resources are allocated to support essential services in Minnesota.