COLUMBUS, Ohio — In June, Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in their home.

"You think about an assassination. I never thought of a state level politician, but to see that happen was... it was a bit of a — it was a gut check for a lot of us," said State Rep. Jack Daniels, R-New Franklin.

"That shook us to our core as legislators," said State Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township.

Nearly three months later, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was gunned down in front of a large crowd on a college campus.

"When we saw the actual murder of Charlie Kirk, we wanted to make sure that we added on (to Ohio law) that political motivation will elevate to aggravated murder," Williams said.

In response to the violence, Daniels and Williams de

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