Statement from Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
August 4, 2025
Fellow Minnesotans,
As a retired Navy Lieutenant Commander, a veteran who has served our nation with honor, and a proud Republican candidate for Governor in 2026, I stand with the hardworking sheriffs, law enforcement officers, and local communities across our great state who are bearing the brunt of disastrous policies imposed by St. Paul’s out-of-touch elite. Today, I am calling out the failures in our correctional system—failures that prioritize bureaucratic overreach over public safety, efficiency over common sense, and state mandates over local expertise. These policies, rammed through without meaningful input from those on the front lines, are not just inefficient; they are dangerous, costly, and undermining the very fabric of justice in Minnesota.
Let me be clear about the issues at hand. County sheriffs across Minnesota have highlighted how state-imposed rules and regulations—often justified as “efficiency measures”—are creating chaos in our jails and prisons. Prisoners are being shuffled between jurisdictions, disrupting access to proven local programs for rehabilitation, mental health support, and job training that reduce recidivism and help reintegrate individuals into their communities. Instead, these transfers lead to higher expenses for taxpayers, as counties foot the bill for unreimbursed medical care, transportation, and logistics without state support. Worse still, this haphazard system risks violations of domestic restraining orders, placing victims in harm’s way because orders aren’t properly tracked or enforced across counties. And now, we see the culmination of this arrogance in the 2025 Larry R. Hill Reform Act, part of the public safety omnibus bill, which mandates that jails provide inmates with any previously prescribed medications—including opioids—regardless of the risks of abuse, diversion, or overdoses in a correctional setting.
This unfunded mandate has sparked a rightful lawsuit from the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association (MSA), joined by county sheriffs and jail medical providers, against the Department of Corrections. Filed in July 2025, the suit argues that this law ignores local knowledge on jail safety, forces providers to administer potentially harmful substances without adequate resources or protocols, and could lead to deadly consequences like increased violence or medical emergencies. A judge wisely paused enforcement of the law temporarily in early July, and as of now, with Attorney General Keith Ellison delaying action until at least August 1st, the case remains ongoing—highlighting the deep flaws in a policy that was rushed through without consulting the experts who run our facilities. This isn’t reform; it’s recklessness, and it’s symptomatic of a broader pattern where state officials override local control, ballooning costs while eroding effective community-based solutions.
The individuals most responsible for these failed policies must be held accountable: Governor Tim Walz, who signed this mess into law; Representatives Kelly Moller and Jess Hanson, who sponsored and championed the medication mandate; Senator Ron Latz, who shepherded it through the Senate; Representative Paul Novotny, who co-chaired the committee that advanced it; and DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell, whose department enforces these burdensome standards without regard for local realities. It’s time for these leaders to put aside their egos, own their mistakes, and admit that their top-down approach has backfired. Minnesotans deserve better than excuses and finger-pointing— we need real leadership that listens to sheriffs, county officials, and the people affected on the ground.
If elected Governor, I will champion key initiatives to reverse these disastrous policies and restore sanity to our correctional system:
1. Repeal Unfunded Mandates: Immediately work with the legislature to repeal the Larry R. Hill Reform Act and similar state overreaches, replacing them with flexible guidelines that prioritize jail safety and allow local medical professionals to make decisions based on evidence, not edicts from St. Paul.
2. Empower Local Control: Establish a Sheriffs’ Advisory Council with veto power over state correctional regulations affecting county jails, ensuring no policy is imposed without direct input from local law enforcement. This will retain community involvement in programming, keeping rehabilitation efforts tailored to regional needs and reducing unnecessary inmate transfers.
3. Fund Local Programs and Infrastructure: Redirect state resources to support county-level initiatives for mental health treatment, substance abuse recovery, and vocational training in jails—proven to cut recidivism and costs. End the practice of shifting state prisoners to local facilities without full reimbursement, and invest in technology to better track restraining orders across jurisdictions.
4. Enhance Accountability and Transparency: Launch an independent audit of DOC practices and boarding arrangements to expose inefficiencies and hold officials accountable for increased expenses. We’ll prioritize public safety by cracking down on crime while ensuring our justice system is fair, effective, and fiscally responsible.
5. Tough on Crime, Smart on Reform: As Governor, I’ll fight to stop rising crime by supporting law enforcement, not handcuffing them with misguided policies. We’ll return power to the people of Minnesota, ending corruption and bureaucratic overreach that excuses criminals while burdening taxpayers.
These changes can’t wait until 2026—they must start now. I demand that Governor Walz and the DFL-led legislature convene an emergency session to address this crisis, collaborate with the MSA to resolve the lawsuit, and begin dismantling these failed experiments. Local communities know best how to protect their residents and rehabilitate offenders; it’s time to let them lead.
Together, we can build a safer, stronger Minnesota. Join me in this fight—visit parrish4mn.com to learn more and get involved.
For Minnesota’s Future,
Phillip C. Parrish
Candidate for Governor, 2026
LCDR, USN (Ret.)
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