Hortman bill passes committee, will be discussed on senate floor on Wednesday

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KVRR) —Minnesota’s Senate Finance Committee votes to pass a bill that would make impersonating law enforcement a felony.

The bill was authored by Sen. John Hoffman.

Hoffman and his wife were shot by a man impersonating a police officer.

The same man is also accused of using the same tactic to assassinate Rep. Melissa Hortman.

The bill would increase the penalty of impersonating law enforcement from a misdemeanor to a felony with a possible sentence of up to five years in prison or a fine as high as ten thousand dollars.

Hoffman spoke about why he feels the increased penalties are needed.

“When I saw this ‘it’, with all the necessary lights and sirens and looking like that person was a police officer, when I finally realized it wasn’t — that was when I first received that first bullet and then eight after that,” Hoffman said during the committee hearing.

The bill will next be discussed on the senate floor on Wednesday.