Criminal justice reform has been long overdue. Progressives have been fighting for it for decades.

After the murder of George Floyd, Minnesotans demanded change, but conservatives held back on taking action. The July special legislative session started off with conservatives brushing off criminal justice reform. But as the special session went on, progressives finally succeeded in getting a criminal justice reform bill passed.

On July 23, Gov. Tim Walz signed the Minnesota Police Accountability Act into law. This bill is a step in the right direction towards addressing criminal justice inequalities. The bill bans neck holds and restraints like the one that was used on George Floyd. And the bill lays the groundwork for future legislation to continue to hold law enforcement accountable and make real change. 

This is a big step in the right direction, but we still have a lot of work to do. 

This one bill alone will not fix our unjust system. But progressives are still fighting and working hard to hold conservatives accountable on this matter. 

George Floyd and many other lives have been taken at the hands of police and they deserve justice. Progressives will continue to fight for a fair criminal justice system for all—no exceptions.