Committee approves bill letting troopers receive surplus badges at no cost after seal change

The Minnesota Senate Transportation Committee on Feb. 17 recommended Senate File 11 58 be passed as amended, a bill that governs surplus badges being replaced after the state seal update. Senator Howe offered an author’s amendment (A2) to change the provision to allow eligible current and retired law enforcement personnel to receive surplus badges at no cost.

Senator Howe explained the change was prompted by a statewide redesign of the state seal, which required law enforcement badges and related insignia to be updated. Trooper Mike LeDoux, president of the Minnesota State Patrol Troopers Association and a 30-year trooper, testified in support and described badges as meaningful symbols that many families keep as mementos. LeDoux told the committee the bill ‘‘prevents waste by ensuring these badges are preserved as historical keepsakes’’ and establishes a sale process at fair market value; the A2 amendment removed the sale component and provided badges at no cost.

Committee members asked practical questions: Senator Jasinski asked what would happen to badges people did not want; testimony said without the bill they likely would be recycled or destroyed. Senator Carlson asked whether obsolete badges had been misused; testimony from troopers and officials said they were not aware of problems with former troopers' badges being used illegally and noted badges are typically reissued or otherwise managed within the department. The committee adopted the A2 amendment by voice vote and then recommended the bill to pass as amended.

The transcript records no roll-call vote; committee members expressed bipartisan support during the discussion.