At Issue: June 14 — Minnesota lawmakers get back to work and calls for ‘defunding the police’ continue

The Minnesota Legislature is back in session this week, but much has changed since it last adjourned. George Floyd was killed while in Minneapolis police custody and there was a large, destructive response.

Lawmakers have differing responses to Floyd’s death — House DFLers proposed sweeping changes that they’ll soon vote on. But Senate Republicans say they want to take a more measured approach, approving a few bills but leaving the larger topics for January. Meanwhile, they still have an infrastructure bill they need to approve.

The politics around police and criminal justice reform has one candidate using the calls for “Defund the Police” as a statewide issue. Republicans in Greater Minnesota will likely use it as a campaign topic, too.

Our political analysts discuss all of that — plus the toppling of the Christopher Columbus statue on the State Capitol grounds.