In January, a Minnesota state government panel made a series of recommendations to the legislature aiming to address security gaps in the state capitol complex. Its annual report recommended appropriating $41 million for enhanced security measures, such as weapons-screening technology and other technological and operational improvements. The Minnesota Legislature should fully fund the budget request from the Advisory Committee on Capitol Safety and Security and enact these comprehensive measures to protect not just lawmakers, but the democratic process itself.
In a recent survey of 185 members of the Minnesota Government Relations Council who regularly work in the state capitol and capitol complex, 42.5 percent of respondents reported avoiding the capitol at certain times due to safety concerns. The council, which conducted the survey, noted that such precautions effectively limit its members’ ability to fully participate in legislative advocacy. Most respondents highlighted three areas for improvement: building-access control and entry screening, visibility and presence of trained security personnel, and exterior and after-hours safety.
A student echoed the call for safety improvements in powerful testimony at an advisory committee meeting, saying, “When students come here, it matters that we know that adults are thinking ahead about our safety. The first thing my mom said to me when I told her I would be here today is ‘I don’t know if that’s safe.’ My friends who are part of Students Demand Action aren’t here today because they’re afraid of being shot and detained in this very building.” The survey results and individual testimony highlight the need for enhanced security measures to ensure that everyday people can feel safe participating in their government. As the student put it, “These are places where people gather to protest, celebrate, and speak up, not where they should be afraid.”
The advisory committee’s report comes as the crisis of political violence and intimidation of officeholders is painfully clear in Minnesota and nationwide. Just last June, Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, and State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were critically injured. These attacks prompted the advisory committee to hold various public hearings to assess the security landscape and explore recommendations to ensure visitors’ safety.
The threat environment for both elected representatives across the political spectrum and members of the public has only intensified since last June’s attacks. Federal law enforcement agencies, such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have used force against people engaged in political speech and protest, and some political leaders have employed violent or aggressive rhetoric that has contributed to a broader sense of intimidation.
Shortly after the attacks on Minnesota lawmakers, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University during a debate. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) was forcibly removed, pushed to the ground, and handcuffed at a press conference after asking questions of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) received multiple threats after speaking in opposition to other elected leaders. She later acknowledged her own role, as an elected leader, in fostering the toxic political environment by previously participating in sharing violent rhetoric online. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was recently attacked at a town hall in Minneapolis. Alex Pretti and Renee Good were killed by federal agents in Minnesota while recording and protesting their actions. These violent responses to political speech have contributed to a climate of fear that threatens civic engagement itself, making it all the more urgent to ensure public spaces remain safe and accessible for democratic participation.
Minnesota leaders are already beginning to take action. Gov. Tim Walz included in his infrastructure plan the advisory committee’s $41 million appropriations request to enhance security measures at the capitol. Additionally, in line with the advisory committee’s recommendations, Walz recently issued an executive order seeking to implement weapons screening at the state capitol.
Minnesota and other states should continue this momentum and pursue several key reforms. For instance, states should systematically monitor threats against lawmakers and follow models like the U.S. Capitol Police’s tracking system, which centralizes threat reports, assigns risk levels, and coordinates responses across law enforcement agencies. Privacy protections matter too: Following Hortman’s assassination, Maine and New Hampshire removed lawmakers’ home addresses from government websites. Finally, states should offer safety training and mental health resources to assist officeholders and their staff for managing threats and trauma.
Only by addressing this crisis comprehensively can states ensure that fear doesn’t replace civic engagement as the defining feature of American democracy.
