House Public Safety Committee hears overview of agency budgets; staff cite large biennial increase

House fiscal staff briefed the Minnesota House Public Safety Committee on the 2024–25 biennial budgets for agencies under its jurisdiction and described where recent budget increases were allocated.

John Walls of House Fiscal Staff ran through the agencies and their biennial general‑fund spending figures, noting the 2024–25 general‑fund total for the committee’s agencies was roughly $2.25 billion. Walls said the Department of Corrections represents roughly 72 percent of overall general‑fund spending in the committee’s portfolio; the Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), Emergency Communications Networks (911), the State Fire Marshal and related boards, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) Board, Sentencing Guidelines Commission, and several small licensing and review boards complete the list.

Key numbers and accounts

- 2024–25 general‑fund total for public‑safety agencies: roughly $2.25 billion (biennial). - Corrections: roughly 72 percent of that general‑fund total. - Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA): roughly $241 million for the biennium. - Emergency Communications Networks (statewide 911): roughly $146.9 million (primarily funded from 911 fees). - State Fire Marshal and firefighter training: combined funding from general fund and a fire‑safety account (a surcharge on home insurance premiums) totaling tens of millions.

One‑time and special revenue funding

Fiscal staff explained a $70 million one‑time appropriation placed in a special revenue account for community programs (described in testimony as violence‑interrupter and community grant funding). Language authorizes spending up to $14 million per year from that account, with balances remaining in the state treasury until spent. John Walls said Office of Justice Programs (OJP) will administer applications and distribute funds consistent with the program language.

Budget growth and outlook

Committee members and staff noted a substantial increase compared with prior bienniums; committee leadership cited a roughly 32–36 percent increase in public‑safety spending in the 2024–25 biennium relative to the previous period. Committee members pressed staff on where increases went; staff pointed to employee compensation, lab and BCA investments, grants for victim services, and one‑time community spending.

Chair Novotny and others also raised a projected state revenue shortfall and a governor’s proposal to reduce or shift training funding currently administered through the POST Board. Chair Novotny said public‑safety training should be protected from cuts where possible.

Questions and administrative details

Several committee members asked about administration and balances of the $70 million special fund. Fiscal staff said the balance remains in the state treasury under a special revenue account and that OJP handles disbursements under the statute’s application process; specific administrative details would be answered by OJP staff, who did not testify because the governor’s office had directed some agency staff not to respond at this hearing.

Next steps

Committee members said they will continue to review agency requests, and Chair Novotny set the next committee meeting for Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. The staff presentation closed with an invitation for follow‑up questions to agency staff and fiscal analysts.

Ending

The presentation concluded with committee members emphasizing scrutiny of large increases and the need to preserve training and operational capacity amid projected state revenue pressures.