Attention: An important hearing is coming up which requires your action.
On Monday, March 6th , HF 3331, which calls for
a Director for the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence and an Interagency Task
Force on the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence will be heard in the House
Crime Prevention Committee. This is the House version of the bill authored
in the Senate by Junge, et al (SF2980) referred to in our SF2980 Action Alert.
This is going to be a more difficult committee than the Senate Crime Prevention Committee.
Legislators need to hear from us!
It is very important that you email, phone, write the members of this committee
BEFORE MONDAY, March 6th, to let them know your position on this legislation.
If you are a constituent be sure to mention this.
All legislators in the House have the following email address:
rep.firstname.lastname@house.leg.state.mn.us
(Example: rep.rich.stanek@house.leg.state.mn.us)
Following is a list of the legislators on the House Crime Prevention Committee:
After the list of legislators, is a summary of the
bill as well as details of MCBW's position on this bill.
Chair: Rep. Rich Stanek (R)
Vice Chair: Rep. Bruce Anderson (R)
Bishop - (R)
Broecker - (R)
Fuller - (R)
Goodno - (R)
Haake - (R)
Larsen - (R)
Mahoney - (DFL)
McGuire - (DFL)
Mullery - (DFL)
Murphy - (DFL)
Paymar - (DFL)
Skoglund - (DFL)
Smith - (R)
Wenzel - (DFL)
Westerberg - (R)
MCBW Tracking Position Paper #1
Creation of Director of Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence and Interagency Task
Force on the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence.
SF 2980. Authors: Junge (DFL-New Hope), Kelly, R.C (D-St. Paul), Kinkel (D-Park Rapids),
Kleis (R-St. Cloud).
HF 3331. Authors: Howes (R-Hackensack), Hasskamp (D- Crosby); Wenzel (D-Little Falls),
Stang (R- Cold Spring), Otremba (D-Long Prairie), Opatz (D- St. Cloud), Daggett (R-
Frazee), Murphy (D- Hermantown).
Overview. SF2980, HF3331 calls for the creation of a Director
for the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence within the Department of Public
Safety's Minnesota Center for Crime Victim Services. It also creates an interagency task
force comprised of representatives of seven state agencies, law enforcement, city and
county prosecutors, battered women' s and sexual assault coalition representatives, and
others who are directed through this legislation to develop a strategic plan on domestic
and sexual assault violence prevention by January 15, 2001.
The "intent" section of the bill recognizes the importance of and the continuing
need to prevent the occurrence of incidents of domestic violence and sexual assault. It
states that "the legislature further recognizes the importance of the involvement of
victims, victim advocates, community members, government agencies, prosecutors, and courts
in achieving these goals. It is the intent of the legislature to preserve and encourage
this involvement while simultaneously providing for a more streamlined and efficient
process."
The Director for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence
will be a "point person" within state government who is responsible for the
following duties to address domestic and sexual violence: 1). Advocate for the rights of
domestic and sexual assault victims; 2) increase public attention and visibility on the
issue; 3) force accountability at all levels of the system and hold public officials
accountable when the system fails; 4) support prosecution and civil litigation efforts at
the federal and state level; 5) initiate policy changes at all levels of government; 6)
coordinate existing resources and promote coordinated and immediate community responses;
7) build partnerships among law enforcement, prosecutors, defenders, courts, and
advocates; 8) encourage and support the efforts of health care providers, mental health
experts, employers, educators, clergy members, and others in awareness and prevention
efforts; 9) coordinate and maximize the use of available federal, state, and local
resources and leverage more resources through grants and private funding; and 10) serve as
a liaison between MCCVS and the Commissioner of Health's Sexual Violence Prevention
Program.
The director will also chair the interagency task force, consult with the sexual assault
and domestic violence advisory councils; and provide an annual report regarding duties
with recommendations to the governor and legislature on matters in the director's
jurisdiction, which must include recommendations for changes in policies and laws relating
to domestic and sexual violence prevention.
SF 2980 has passed through the Senate Crime Prevention and
Government Operations Committees and has been referred to the floor. HF3331 will have its
first hearing in the Crime Prevention Committee on Thursday, March 2 at 10 am. From there
it will go to the House Government Operations Committee after which it will be referred to
the Floor of the House.
MCBW/ MCASA Position. This compromise bill has the full
support of the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women and the Minnesota Coalition Against
Sexual Assault as well as the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, Charlie
Weaver. It restores visibility to the unique and complex needs of domestic and sexual
violence victims /survivors, recognizes the importance of victim and advocate involvement
in state policy development, restores meaningful roles for the sexual assault and domestic
violence advisory councils; calls for accountability and the need for interagency and
interdisciplinary, cooperation with the involvement of battered women's and sexual assault
representatives in finding long term solutions to ending violence against women.
Minnesota NOW thanks:
MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) - 420 N 5th St.,
#690 - Minneapolis, MN 55401 [612.313.2797; FAX 612.313.2799] and MN Coalition For
Battered Women (MCBW) - 1821 University Ave. W, #S112 - St. Paul, MN 55104
[651.646.6177; FAX 651.646.1527 or MCBW web site]
© 2000 Minnesota NOW