Bills in Judiciary: Latz Week in Review

Editor’s Note: The following legislative update comes from the office of Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-District 46).

We have started to hear bills in the Judiciary Committee that I Chair. The committee has a broad jurisdiction and has had over sixty bills sent to the committee so far. Our committee time will be fully scheduled up until the first policy deadline that has been set for March 15th. All policy bills must pass out of any policy bill they need to make a stop in by this date in either the Senate or the House. By the second policy deadline, March 22, they need to make it out of the subsequent body.

I also chair the Judiciary Finance Division, which will be putting together the budgets for the Department of Corrections; the Supreme Court, Appeals Court, District Court, Tax Court and the rest of the judicial system(including the Guardian Ad Litem Board, Judicial Standards Board, Sentencing Guidelines Commission and Civil Legal Services); the Public Defenders; Department of Human Rights; Peace Officers Standards Board and the Private Detectives Board. We have walked through the Governor’s recommendations and are waiting for the Finance Chair to set a budget target.

I was proud to introduce legislation this week, along with Rep. Steve Simon, that would hold child sex abusers and institutions that facilitate this abuse accountable. The Minnesota Child Victims Act (S.F. 534) is a rather simple and straightforward bill that gives the opportunity for victims of child abuse to confront it when they gather the knowledge and fortitude to do so. This

legislation will recognize the healing process while holding abusers and affiliated institutions accountable. I will be working alongside the MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the National Center for Victims of Crime on this proposed legislation.

Last week I had constituents visit from a number of groups that were here for their “day on the hill”. The groups included: MN Hospitality Assoc., Am. Heart Assoc., Wayzata Public Schools (School Nutrition), Hopkins Schools (School Nutrition), and MN School Counselors Association.