Minneapolis pastor Rev. Brian Herron calls

Rev. Brian Herron. Image courtesy of Google.com.

Rev. Brian Herron of Minneapolis' Zion Baptist Church is urging the state legislature to quickly restore felons’ voting rights following their release, Star Tribune reported.

The news outlet said Herron went to the Minnesota Capitol last week to urge state lawmakers to restore former criminals' voting privileges.

Herron’s Fight for Felons' Voting Rights

Herron’s one-year incarceration in a federal jail prompted him to push for the outright restoration of voting rights to felons following their release from jail.

The preacher disclosed that it was the most painful thing for a released inmate to be unable to vote, having experienced it.

Despite having paid his fines, Reverend Herron claimed it took two years after his release before authorities released him from probation. He said he was also not immediately allowed to vote again after serving his sentence.

The news outlet said Herron pleaded guilty to extortion and spent more than a year in prison. He worked at the Minneapolis City Council as a council member and resigned before being sentenced for his crime.

Herron’s abrupt exodus from the city council surprised many.

Star Tribune said that the reverend knew almost everyone in his south-central Minneapolis ward.

Restoring Former Felons’ Voting Rights

The DFL-controlled House on Thursday passed Legislation HF28 via a 71-59 vote. Rep. Cedrick Frazier sponsored the bill, which is now up for a Senate vote.

The new law will impact about 55,000 Minnesotans, a Kare11 report said.

Several House Republicans expressed concern about the proposed law. They argued that the bill does not contain safety nets that would deter someone sentenced for criminal voting fraud from casting votes anew.

Rep. Anne Neu Brindley, for her part, thinks it's critical to ‘preserve the integrity of people’s votes.’

The news outlet said the legislation intends to restore the right to vote to those who have been found guilty of a felony once they get out of jail.

The proposal represents a departure from the present system reinstating voting rights following the successful completion of a person's sentence.

The voting rights reinstatement includes the requirement for inmates’ completion of their probation.

Dealing With Community’s Police Trauma

Meanwhile, Zion Baptist Church currently deals with the community’s concerns and problems regarding police brutality.

A separate Kare11 report said Tyre Nichols' death at the hands of police had caused pain among many community members' hears. Consequently, Zion Baptist Church is doing its part to heal the community’s police trauma.

Pastor Herron had opened the church’s doors to provide a haven for individuals looking for explanations for Nichols’ death while attempting to recover from the shock it caused.

Herron emphasized the need to find methods to use suffering for good and be more committed than ever to changing the culture of policing and the mood in the neighborhood.

Accordingly, Kare11 reported that healing prayers are said at the Shiloh Temple in North Minneapolis regarding police abuse.

The news outlet noted how it's much simpler to talk about than to do, which is why some people find themselves at the church.

The report said there is hope when people attempt to recover from the pain of witnessing Tyre Nichols killed by those sworn to protect and serve them.

As calls for police reform persist, the team at Shiloh Temple aims to arrange more events that provide people a place to express themselves freely and find healing together.