2026 Legislative Agenda

MCPA's 2026 Legislative Agenda

The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) 2025 Legislative Agenda was developed over a period of several months with input from the state’s police chiefs, law enforcement leaders and stakeholder groups.  Members of the organization’s Legislative Committee, which is made up of public safety professionals from agencies large and small, urban and rural, discussed, vetted and prioritized the agenda. The MCPA Board of Directors approved the 2026 Legislative Agenda on October 14, 2025.

LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING FUNDING

MCPA supports continuing the POST Board training reimbursement allocation to local agencies, which began in 2018, into perpetuity. The Philando Castile Training Fund is used to fund mandated training in the areas of recognizing and valuing diversity and cultural differences, conflict management and mediation, crisis intervention, and mental illness crises. $1.1 million was cut from the Philando Castile Training Fund in 2025. Additionally, the $3 million of base funding for Law Enforcement training has been cut after the current biennium.

ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL FIREARM POSSESSION

• Enhance the crime of illegal possession of a firearm from a gross misdemeanor to a felony. Currently, the level of crime does not match the dangerous impact it has on communities.

• Establish enhanced penalties for illegal gun possession or use in Minnesota Statute Chapter 624, similar to the enhanced penalties for “Drug Free Zones” defined in Minnesota Statute 152.01. This would only be an enhancement to existing gun laws and not any further restrictions on legal and lawful gun possession.

• Amend state statute to increase penalties for violent felons in possession of firearms and for straw purchases and illegal sales of firearms from licensed gun dealers. This legislation includes mandatory minimum sentences for such violent crimes.

REVISIONS TO ERPO STATUTE

Requirement for Agencies to Compensate for Confiscated Firearms

Under 624.7175(a) related to ERPOs, law enforcement agencies appear to be compelled to compensate the respondent of an ERPO at fair market value if the respondent surrenders firearms to that agency. There has to be another way that doesn't compel a law enforcement agency to fund this. Current language is as follows:

"If a respondent permanently transfers the respondent's firearms to a law enforcement agency, the agency must compensate the respondent at fair market value and may not charge the respondent any processing or other fees."

Given the political assassinations this summer and now the school shooting at Annunciation, the pressure is increasing to utilize the ERPO as a tool to intervene when someone is on a path to violence. Left unchanged, this clause is a significant barrier to intervention.

Allow for Immediate Seizure of Firearms

Amend the law to allow law enforcement to immediately seize the weapons of someone for whom they are applying for an ERPO prior to the scheduled hearing. This would close the gap that exists in the current law that allows a person to keep their weapons until after the order has been granted by a judge. If, at the hearing, it is determined that the person does not meet the criteria for an ERPO, their weapons would be returned to them.

Having a person who we believe meets the criteria for an ERPO allowed to hold their weapons until a hearing presents a public safety risk.

CHANGES TO THE IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER STATUTE

1. Increase Impersonating an Officer Statute from a Misdemeanor to a Felony

   1. It is unconscionable that we allow people to impersonate a law enforcement officer and then get charged with a misdemeanor. We are currently in a time when police mistrust is at an all-time high, and the last thing we need is people impersonating an officer. This law change also shows we are responsive to the political assassination/attempt that occurred this summer.

2. Prohibit the Display or Use of Law Enforcement Equipment on Non-Law Enforcement Vehicles

   1. Amend MN 609.4751 IMPERSONATING A PEACE OFFICER sub 2(4)ii:
      • (ii) with any lettering, marking, or insignia, or colorable imitation thereof, including, but not limited to, stars, badges, or shields identifying the vehicle as a law enforcement vehicle, displaying equipment commonly used of law enforcement vehicles such as radio antennas, squad cameras and which a reasonable person would believe is a law enforcement vehicle governed under section 169.98, subdivision 1.
   2. Adding “displaying equipment commonly used in law enforcement vehicles such as radio antennas, squad cameras” to the law would cover the gap that allows people to display this type of equipment, confusing the public.
   3. Allowing people to drive vehicles that closely resemble marked or unmarked police vehicles poses a danger to everyone.

INCREASED PENALTIES FOR FLEEING IN A MOTOR VEHICLE

MCPA supports legislation to stiffen penalties to include mandatory minimum sentences for fleeing in a motor vehicle. Fleeing is becoming a significant concern for law enforcement agencies. The number of offenders who flee has gone up exponentially. Offenders understand that most of the time police officers won’t chase them because the risk is not worth it. They also know that if officers do chase them and they are caught, the consequences are quite minor compared to the risk they have exposed to our community and law enforcement officers, too. Officers and organizations continue to battle the decision to pursue fleeing vehicles.

INCREASE FUNDING FOR VIOLENT CRIME ENFORCEMENT TEAMS (VCETS)

VCETs are specialized law enforcement units that focus on disrupting criminal networks, removing illegal narcotics and firearms from the streets, and addressing gang-related activity.  The teams are comprised of local, county and state agencies who contribute officers to work as Task Force. The success of these teams has led to additional teams being formed however the funding that covers equipment and overtime expenses for these teams has remained the same. Additional funding is needed to allow these teams to continue their important work.

REVISIONS TO CLEAN SLATE ACT

Seek legislative language that would clarify how agencies navigate the “Clean Slate Act” of 2023. Now that the BCA has launched its system for notifying agencies of cases that need to be resolved, there are many instances of contradictory and prohibitive statutory language as outlined below:

• 609A.015, Subds. 5(f) and 5(g) – More clarity is needed to determine if the records are protected and how the data on the person should be handled.

• There is contradictory language in the following two subdivisions:

  • 13.82, Subds. 2 (arrest data), 3 (request for service data), and 6 (response or incident data)

  • 609A.015 – Various subdivisions in 13.82 govern what government data are publicly available at all times. 609A.015 provides protection of this data. More clarity is needed to determine if this data “exists” and, if so, what is releasable.

• 13.03, Subd. 3(f) // 609A.01 – 13.03 mandates a citation to a specific statutory section when access to data is denied. 609A.01 states that we are prohibited from disclosing the existence of the data.

ELIMINATE PERA PENALTY FOR RE-EMPLOYMENT AFTER RETIREMENT

Discontinue the penalty on re-employment after the PERA pension draw from the first retirement. Change in current legislation that restricts Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) pensioners from working in PERA-covered positions after retirement.

This restriction has an adverse effect on former law enforcement professionals who wish to continue contributing to their communities in meaningful ways. As the legislation stands today, any former law enforcement officer drawing a PERA pension is barred from working in a PERA-eligible job—whether as a school bus driver, teacher, para-professional, city employee, or even in another law enforcement or public safety role.

It will allow PERA pensioners to return to work without financial punishment. Allowing those who have served the public to re-enter the workforce without penalty would not only benefit the retirees themselves but also the municipalities and agencies that desperately need their skills and experience.

PROHIBITION ON DECLARING NO-PROSECUTION AND/OR ENFORCEMENT OF CRIMES

This proposed legislation prohibits prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement agencies from declaring something legal in their jurisdiction that state or local laws state is illegal. It also prohibits them from establishing different legal standards by person or criminal element.

For example, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has essentially legalized the possession of small amounts of methamphetamine, even though it is a felony under state law. They have done this by raising the amount of methamphetamine needed in possession for them even to consider charging the case.

BUFFER ZONE LEGISLATION

The legislation would help support officers making arrests in difficult situations. The concept is to make it illegal to approach within 25 feet of a working law enforcement officer after being asked or ordered to back up.

Louisiana and Florida passed similar laws earlier this year. The goal is to help keep our first responders, law enforcement officers, correctional probation officers, firefighters, and emergency medical care providers safe.

REQUIREMENT THAT MCPA, MSA, AND MPPOA APPOINT REPRESENTATIVES TO POST BOARD

At least one of the two Sheriffs, Chiefs of Police, and Peace Officer positions on the POST Board shall be appointed by the MN Sheriffs, MN Chiefs, and MPPOA.

The current process, by which the Governor appoints all these positions, has the potential of creating an unbalanced representation of views on the board. The purpose of this proposal is to ensure the voices of those respective groups are represented on the board.

Having the associations have at least one of the picks allotted to the positions would ensure the voices from these groups are represented on the board, which would hopefully translate into better policy and rulemaking decisions by the board.

MODIFY DATA PRACTICES LAWS TO REDUCE ABUSIVE REQUESTS

Change the law to protect cities from abusive, frivolous data requests (these views are more from the perspective of very small cities under 3,000 people). We agree that the public should be entitled to public government data, but the law allows for abusive behavior. People have weaponized the statute against the cities, counties, and most importantly, taxpayers.

Agencies are not allowed to charge the appropriate fee for very large and time-consuming data requests. Often, the person making the data requests does not come back to obtain the data.

MINNESOTA POLICE OFFICER BRADY/GIGLIO BILL

Any proposed bill must include:

• A statutory definition of Brady material

• Due process for an officer or police agency to contest a county attorney’s designation of Brady material

• Requirements to maintain any kind of Brady data on officers, and who can access the data

• CJIS security compliance of data

• Uniformity of protective court orders involving Brady material

The subject of Brady/Giglio received statewide attention in the 2024 Legislative Session, with bills introduced by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office allowing access to private data on police officers.

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION NEEDS

Agencies across our state are facing significant challenges in recruiting and retaining officers due to a range of factors. MCPA supports a multi-faceted approach to helping agencies of all sizes recruit and retain officers. This should include, but is not limited to:

1. In-Service Distribution Program

MCPA supports legislation to create an In-Service Distribution Program as an enhancement to the Fire and Police Pension Plan. This would allow current Police and Fire personnel who are at least 55 years of age to begin drawing retirement benefits while they continue to work. Members are considered “retired” for purposes of pension calculations only. For all other purposes, they are considered active members of their respective departments.

2. Part-Time Officer Licensure for Small Agencies

Support scholarship programs with higher education partners. Any funding for this use should reflect the different needs of small, medium, and large agencies alike.

3. Exempt Law Enforcement Officers from Paying State Income Tax

As a measure to address the critical workforce challenges in law enforcement, we support creating an exemption for sworn law enforcement personnel from paying state income taxes. This is one way the Association could advocate for creating an incentive to get more applicants and to reward current LEOs.

4. Paid Health Insurance for Law Enforcement Retirees

Seek a legislative appropriation that would provide paid health care for licensed police officers who retire at 55 years old and have 10 years of consecutive service with a Minnesota City, County, or Tribal government. To help address recruitment and retention challenges, the Employer shall pay the full Employer contribution toward health and dental insurance coverage for employees with 10 years of service or more, effective at age 55 or any time thereafter. It shall also cover the employee’s dependents until the employee reaches age 65. The State of Minnesota shall reimburse the Employer for these costs.

OFFICER WELLNESS

MCPA supports legislation to provide a permanent funding source for the law that passed in 2023, which came from a stakeholder group created by the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC). It is critical to find a way to fund the treatment for mental health injuries as well as continue to expand the network of providers trained to do this vitally important work.

PERMIT TO PURCHASE FEES AND ADDITIONAL APPLICANT DATA COLLECTION

MCPA supports allowing local municipal police departments to charge a reasonable fee for processing permit to purchase applications and seeks to require Minnesota Permit to Purchase and Permit to Carry application forms to include a requirement for the applicant’s race, ethnicity, and social security number.

These additional identifying factors are beneficial in confirming the applicant’s identity, especially when there are possible matches with out-of-state criminal history records. Additionally, the legislation should include a requirement for the applicant to submit a copy of their valid Driver's License or Minnesota State ID card. The applicant’s address on this ID and all documents in the permit application process should match their actual address, city, and zip code of residence.

AUTO THEFT AND VIOLENT CRIME INVESTIGATION FUNDING

With the growing number of auto thefts and a staggering increase in the number of violent crimes committed in possession of a stolen vehicle, the legislature should provide clear direction to funding that was added to the BCA annual budget to create and staff a multijurisdictional group of peace officers who will focus on auto theft investigations and prevention.

BODY WORN CAMERA REDACTION

MCPA supports changing the current law to allow for greater discretion by the CLEO or designee to release data without redaction in instances where any member of the public may record the same footage with their own device.

Current law allows CLEOs to release data to dispel rumors or misinformation, but we cannot do so without complying with redaction. This will provide the public with greater transparency, particularly in high-profile cases.

PROSECUTOR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CHARGING VIOLENT CRIMES

MCPA supports legislation to hold County Attorneys accountable for ensuring appropriate charging decisions are made on felony-level offenses. This is in response to massive violent crime increases at the hands of serious offenders who should have been in jail but were able to commit additional crimes against the public.

USE OF FORCE TRAINING FOR LEGISLATORS

MCPA supports legislation and funding that would enable MCPA or other law enforcement organizations to offer training for legislators on the appropriate use of force. The scenario-based training would help legislators better understand the situations officers find themselves in daily.

ARBITRATION REVISION ACT

MCPA supports creating a more objective arbitration process by having the Office of Administrative Hearings handle all police officer termination grievances.

MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE ACT

MCPA supports legislation to fund multi-jurisdictional co-responder programs and make changes to current policy and practices to better share information among first responders, medical professionals, and human services representatives.

The goal is to improve the response to and outcomes of mental health calls for service.