Minnesota legislators want to make sure first responders don’t run afoul of a gift ban for public officials just for accessing mental health resources. 

A bill that would explicitly allow first responders to access donated health and wellness resources received bipartisan support Monday in the House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee.

Republican Rep. Bidal Duran of Bemidji, a veteran and former law enforcement officer, is the bill’s sponsor.  

“First responders go through some of the worst things that we can think of,” Duran said.

Duran said the bill is meant to help with first responder retention and in turn keep Minnesotans safer.

State law says local officials, including public safety officers, can’t accept gifts from anyone with a financial stake in decisions the officials make.

The bill would add exceptions to the law, including: “services for mental health or wellness support, including but not limited to counseling, therapy, peer support, recreational activities, wellness days, or meals that are provided at no cost to first responders by any nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to support the mental or physical health and well-being of public safety personnel.”

“We’re just going to refine the law and make sure that we’re able to help out and give our first responders options to seek help where they can,” Duran said.

Chris Tetrault, co-founder of a nonprofit called Hometown Hero Outdoors that serves veterans and first responders, testified in favor of the bill. Tetrault retired from law enforcement because of PTSD.

He said there have been times when first responders in Minnesota were advised not to attend peer support and wellness events funded by nonprofits because they might violate the local officials’ gift ban. 

Tetrault said he supports the ban on gifts generally, “but when the interpretation becomes so broad that it discourages a first responder from attending a peer support fishing trip, a wellness retreat or a trauma recovery event on their own time, we have to ask whether the statute is being applied as intended.”

Tetrault asked the committee to clarify the law to remove an unnecessary barrier for first responders to seek help. “Speaking personally, the hardest step for many officers is choosing to seek help in the first place,” he said.

Both Republican and Democratic members spoke in favor of the bill.

Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis, said spending time with the first responders who were called to the Annunciation shooting inspired her to support the bill. “What those folks experience is horrific,” Greenman said.

A Democratic amendment clarifying the definition of who can access these health resources was accepted by Duran. The bill was not voted on.

Last year, the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board also offered more latitude to state lawmakers and their staff on mental health services. It came after the June 14 shootings that left Rep. Melissa Hortman dead and state Sen. John Hoffman injured.

The board issued an advisory opinion that said mental health training sessions for members of the Senate and staff could be provided to them without running afoul of gift-ban regulations.

About the author

Cait Kelley is the Politics Fellow with MPR News.