Purpose

The bill creates a new Legislative Commission on Legislative Security. Its main goal is to study the security needs of state legislators and their staff while they are in a legislative district, and to review proposed laws or changes that affect the security of elected officials and staff.

Main Provisions

• Establishment: A Legislative Commission on Legislative Security is created to focus on security issues for lawmakers and staff.
• Scope of work: The commission must study, research, and analyze security needs for legislators and staff in a legislative district, and review and make recommendations on proposed legislation that impacts security for elected officials and staff.
• Leadership and term structure: The commission must elect a chair and may elect other officers. The chair position rotates between a senator and a representative in January of each odd-numbered year.
• Staff: The commission may hire professional and technical assistants as needed.
• Administration: The commission’s work and appointments are organized through the Senate and House appointment processes, with specific rules for filling vacancies when the Legislature is in session or not in session.

Membership and Governance

• Composition: The commission includes seven senators and seven members of the House of Representatives.
• Appointments: Senators are appointed by the Senate’s Subcommittee on Committees of the Rules and Administration; House members are appointed by the Speaker of the House.
• Balance: No more than five members from each chamber may come from the majority caucus in their chamber.
• Terms: Appointments begin at the start of each regular session for a two-year term and continue until successors are appointed.
• Vacancies: If a vacancy occurs, it is filled using the standard appointment processes from the respective chamber (with specified procedures for when the Legislature is not in session).

Scope and Impact

• Purpose alignment: The bill does not create new law beyond establishing the commission; it creates a formal body to oversee security-related issues and to assess how proposed laws affect security for lawmakers and staff.
• Potential effects: By reviewing security implications of proposed legislation, the commission could influence security-related policy, funding, and protective measures for state officials and their staff.

Significance and Changes to Law

• Significance: This is a new statutory body dedicated to legislative security, providing formal structure for ongoing study and advisory input on security issues affecting legislators and staff.
• Changes to existing law: Establishes a new commission within Minnesota law to oversee security matters; assigns membership, leadership, staffing, and duties, but does not alter existing security statutes beyond creating this new entity.

Relevant Terms - Legislative Commission on Legislative Security - security needs - state legislators - staff - legislative district - elected officials - security for elected officials and staff - proposed legislation - Minnesota Statutes (context of new commission) - members of the Senate - members of the House of Representatives - majority caucus - chair - rotation - professional and technical assistants - study, research, analyze - duties and recommendations - appointments and vacancies