Committee hears competing testimony on bill to limit Shakopee facility to biological females

Summary

House File 435, and an author’s amendment adopting a statutory definition of "female," drew extensive testimony both for and against restricting the Minnesota Correctional Facility‑Shakopee to people who are biologically female; DOC testified about its placement review process; the committee adopted the amendment and laid the bill over pending a

Representative Fransen offered House File 4 35, which would require the commissioner of corrections to house only biological females at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee and to transfer any non‑biological females there within seven days of enactment.

The sponsor also offered and the committee approved an author’s amendment (A2) that adds a statutory definition of "female". After discussion and a voice vote the chair announced, "Amendment carries." The amended bill would, as written, change facility placement rules in statute.

Alicia Beckman, a former Department of Corrections GED teacher who said she worked at Shakopee for nearly 10 years, testified in support of the bill. Beckman described staff and some incarcerated women as fearful after what she said were transfers of people she described as biological males into Shakopee in mid‑2023. She said staff and women reported harassment, intimidation and incidents that she believes were underreported. "Putting violent ****** offenders within close quarters to them seems punitive and counterproductive," Beckman said, and she urged…

Committee hears competing testimony on bill to limit Shakopee facility to biological females

Summary

Subscribe to keep reading