When a Bill Becomes a Law

Founder Antonio Espinosa led the charge introducing a bill that would require the MN Department of Corrections to fund supportive arts programming in the prisons. The funding the DOC will receive as part of this bill will be granted out to community-based non-profit organizations to come After much advocacy and trips to the legislature to testify, the bill became law as part of the Public Safety omnibus bill passed through the house and the Senate and was signed by Governor Tim Walz last week! Antonio told the story of Art from the Inside and we worked collectively with Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop, Voices of Hope, art therapist Liz Bechel, and our artists who shared data and provided critical letters of support. 

Legislators came out to the exhibit during the session and could see the impact of these kinds of programs on those serving time, their families, loved ones, and the broader community. We are grateful for the leadership and support of Representative Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger, Senator Nicole Mitchell, Senator Clare Oumou-Verbeten, Representative Cedrick Frazier, Representative Sandra Feist, and others who saw the value of investing in people to create safer communities and safer prisons. It was an historic session and there were many people out advocating for important reforms that will have lasting positive impacts for so many affected by the criminal legal system like Restore the Vote, Juvenile Sentencing Reform, and Felony Murder Law Reform, just to name a few.