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Senate committee advances bill to fully fund, stabilize county community supervision
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony supporting Senate File 2,120 to fully fund Minnesota's community supervision formula and to adopt a three-year averaging method to smooth county funding. Amendments were adopted and the bill was laid over for further consideration.
Senate File 2,120, a bill to fully fund Minnesota—s community supervision formula and incorporate a three-year average for probation population counts, drew testimony from county officials and probation leaders at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on March 26.
Supporters said stable funding is needed to prevent counties from cutting staff or programs that help people on supervision reintegrate into their communities. "Our counties operate on a different fiscal calendar than the state," said Emilio Lamba, Public Safety Policy Analyst for the Association of Minnesota Counties. "Implementing a three-year average is a cost-neutral solution that smooths funding fluctuations."
The bill author, Senator Seaburger, brought forward two author—s amendments. The A1 amendment was adopted by voice vote. Senator Seaburger initially offered an A2 amendment related to delaying a sunset on supervision fees but subsequently withdrew it after discussion. At the request of fiscal staff, the committee adopted an oral amendment to add $12,662,000 in fiscal year 2027 as a funding adjustment to reflect full funding in the base.
Mike McMillan, director of Wright County Court Services, told the committee the county would lose roughly $500,000 over the next biennium under the current proposal and that without the fee amendment the county faced a much larger shortfall. "If 1 doesn't go, we need this amendment to basically stay afloat providing the continued services that we've become accustomed to," McMillan said.
Washington County Commissioner Carla Bigum, testifying on behalf of the Association of Minnesota Counties, urged full funding and adoption of the three-year averaging to help counties avoid higher caseloads and cuts to evidence-based programs. Nikki Niles, community corrections director for Dodge and Olmsted counties and co-chair of the Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act Counties— legislative committee, emphasized that predictable funding is needed to implement the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act (MRRA) and to meet increased supervision demand.
Committee discussion included questions about the interaction of county and state fiscal calendars and the risks counties face if the state does not provide stable funding. Senator Loomer expressed concern about possible state takeover of funding and urged protections for local delivery systems. After votes on amendments, the committee laid Senate File 2,120 over for further consideration.
Votes at the hearing were voice votes; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the hearing transcript.
Senate File 2,120 will return to committee for additional consideration as it moves through the legislative process.
