| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to public safety; making it a crime to obstruct certain first responders by |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 approaching or remaining too closely after being warned; amending Minnesota |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 Statutes 2024, section 609.50, subdivision 1. |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.50, subdivision 1, is amended to read: |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Subdivision 1.Crime.(a) Whoever intentionally does any of the following may be |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8sentenced as provided in subdivision 2: |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9 (1) obstructs, hinders, or prevents the lawful execution of any legal process, civil or |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10criminal, or apprehension of another on a charge or conviction of a criminal offense; |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11 (2) obstructs, resists, or interferes with a peace officer while the officer is engaged in |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12the performance of official duties; |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13 (3) interferes with or obstructs a firefighter while the firefighter is engaged in the |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14performance of official duties; |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 (4) interferes with or obstructs a member of an ambulance service personnel crew, as |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16defined in section 144E.001, subdivision 3a, who is providing, or attempting to provide, |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17emergency care; or |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18 (5) by force or threat of force endeavors to obstruct any employee of the Department of |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19Revenue, Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services Division, a driver's |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20license agent appointed under section 171.061, or a deputy registrar appointed under section |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21168.33 while the employee is lawfully engaged in the performance of official duties for the |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22purpose of deterring or interfering with the performance of those duties. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 24 | 24 | | REVISOR KLL/DG 25-0431502/25/25 |
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| 25 | 25 | | State of Minnesota |
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| 26 | 26 | | This Document can be made available |
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| 27 | 27 | | in alternative formats upon request |
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| 28 | 28 | | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 29 | 29 | | H. F. No. 2173 |
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| 30 | 30 | | NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 31 | 31 | | Authored by Engen, Stier, Novotny, Schultz and Bakeberg03/12/2025 |
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| 32 | 32 | | The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy 2.1 (b) It is a crime punishable as provided in subdivision 2 for someone to approach or |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.2remain within 25 feet of a person described in paragraph (a), clause (2), (3), or (4): |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.3 (1) while knowing or having reason to know of the person's status and that the person |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.4is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty; |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.5 (2) after having received a verbal warning from the person not to approach; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.6 (3) with the intent to impede or interfere with the person's ability to perform the legal |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.7duty. |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.8 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.9committed on or after that date. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2Section 1. |
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| 42 | 42 | | REVISOR KLL/DG 25-0431502/25/25 |
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