MN GOP chair blocks Bill that would help "knucklehead" Vets get jobs. We need to make calls ASAP

[annm4peace]

I received an email from a veteran advocate who was waiting to speak at a hearing and found out the GOP Chairman blocked it.
This is the same Senator Limmer who is part of Minnesota Majority who is probably also part of A.L.E.C and authored bill for Voter ID, Anti-gay Marriage, etc.
Please call his office and tell him to hold a hearing on SF 878
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Senator Limmer, the Chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, does not want to hear SF 878 Presumptive Certificate of Rehabilitation for Military Veterans because he doesn’t necessarily believe that an honorable discharge make on a “virtuous” person.

Somehow I don’t believe the veteran population in Minnesota feels the same way. This bill needs to be heard this week in this committee.

This is a Jobs bill to help veterans get employment. Please forward and post to all your Veteran contacts and make his phone ring off the hook!

This has bipartisan support in the house and the only GOP opposition right now is Sen. Limmer. This is honoring veterans service as a second chance if they have made a mistake prior to service.

We need to get as many veterans as possible to call Senator Limmer’s office and ask that SF 878 be heard immediately. His number is [phone]

PRESUMPTIVE CERTIFICATE OF REHABILITATION
FOR MILITARY VETERANS
Rehabilitation presumption established through a person’s honorable military
SF 878 service following a prior offense

House Chief Author: Rep. Bruce Anderson
Senate Chief Author: Sen. Linda Higgins

Status
House: HF 1124 has passed through the Veterans Services Division and the Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee with bi-partisan support. It has been sent to the floor for a second reading.

Senate: SF 878 has passed through the State Government Innovations and Veterans Committee. It was referred to Judiciary and Public Safety Committee where it has now stalled. It needs to be heard this week otherwise it will likely be dead.


BACKGROUND
· This is an addition to Minnesota Statute Chapter 364, which relates to the rehabilitation of criminal offenders. In 1974, the Minnesota State Legislature first recognized that criminal offenders should have the ability to rehabilitate themselves and become productive members of society
· This bill is about Veterans getting JOBS.
· The U. S. Department of Labor recently reported that the unemployment rate of Iraq and Afghanistan era veterans jumped to a record 15.2% in January (while the overall national unemployment rate declined). This is becoming a national crisis. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) have made unemployment amongst veterans their number one issue this year.
· We have our “Next Greatest Generation” veterans coming back from these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are set to become our next generation of business and community leaders. We need to look at the barriers to employment for our veterans and break them down. This bill breaks down one of those barriers.

BILL
· Minn. Stat. § 364.03 – individuals that have a prior criminal conviction that show competent evidence of rehabilitation are not disqualified for public employment or an occupation that requires license (does not apply to police officers, attorneys and other exceptions) if they show competent evidence of rehabilitation.
· Does not guarantee employment or a license. Says that an individual is not automatically disqualified from the job or license because of a prior conviction.
· This bill will add as competent evidence an Honorable Discharge (DD 214) from the military.
· Applicable only to offenses prior to honorable military service. Does not apply to a criminal offense after honorable discharge. An honorable discharge would cease to be competent evidence upon the conviction of any crime (gross misdemeanor or felony) after honorable discharge.

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the Senate committee just held up the "knucklehead bill" that would help returning troops who have done simple stupid crimes.

to read the bill and see who is on the committee click here.
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S0878.0.html&session=ls87


Also: also, John Marty is on the Senate Judicary committee, but so is ex right wing radio blowhard Dave Thompson who is now a State Senator. What a traitor.. he was always rah rah cheerleader for the military.. but now he can’t co-author this bill ? what a hypocrite He should have been a bipartisan co-author

I also send the Vet's email to 950AM radio, WCCO, FOX9, TPT, Star Tribune, and Vets for Peace, Military Members Speak Out, WAMM, Iraq Veterans AGainst the WAr.