Bill to restore general arbitration selection for peace‑officer discipline sparks split testimony; House file 1375 laid over

Representative Duran introduced House File 1375 on March 26, which would repeal the peace‑officer grievance arbitration selection procedure and restore the general Bureau of Mediation Services (BMS) roster and strike process used for other public employees.

Proponents — including labor attorneys and representatives for law‑enforcement unions — argued the current peace‑officer arbitration roster (created in 2020) limits due process and denies officers access to a pool of arbitrators vetted under standard BMS rules. "This is a fundamental fairness issue and it's a labor issue," said Jim Michaels, a labor attorney testifying in support of the bill. Testimony from Kevin Beck and Mark Schneider highlighted differences in minimum qualifications and the ability to vet and strike arbitrators: Beck noted the regular BMS roster requires demonstrated arbitration experience under Minnesota rules, while the peace‑officer roster does not.

Opponents included municipal and chiefs' organizations. Scott Neal, Edina city manager, representing the League of Minnesota Cities, said the 2020 roster created parity and increased process integrity, and urged the committee not to repeal it. Jeff Potts of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association likewise opposed returning to the prior system, characterizing the 2020 changes as a remedy to perverse incentives in arbitration selection.

Committee action: After extended testimony from the labor community, municipal managers and chiefs' representatives, the committee laid House File 1375 over for further work rather than advancing it. Several members said they wanted more conversations and were not ready to reverse the 2020 reforms without further study.

What it would change: The bill would return selection and striking procedures for peace‑officer arbitration to the general PELRA arbitration system, which includes a larger BMS roster and a strike system allowing the union and employer to remove arbitrators from a list before selection. Supporters said that process provides better vetting and avoids placing inexperienced arbitrators on disciplinary panels; opponents countered that the peace‑officer roster provides neutral, specialized arbitrators focused on law enforcement cases.

Next steps: House File 1375 remains laid over. Committee members asked for additional data, stakeholder meetings and potential draft compromises before any vote.