1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to public safety; authorizing payment of preliminary monetary damages
1.3 to certain exonerated individuals; establishing the exoneration compensation
1.4 account in the special revenue fund; appropriating money; amending Minnesota
1.5 Statutes 2024, sections 590.11, subdivision 3; 611.365, subdivision 4, by adding
1.6 a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 611.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 590.11, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.9 Subd. 3.Compensation based on exoneration in the interests of justice.(a) An
1.10individual who is exonerated is eligible for compensation in the interests of justice, if the
1.11prosecutor, (1) within 60 days of filing the petition, joins the petition and indicates that it
1.12is likely that the original complaint or indictment would not have been filed or sought or
1.13would have been dismissed with the knowledge of all of the circumstances, or (2) after the
1.14individual is exonerated but prior to the filing of the petition, indicates that the prosecutor
1.15will join the petition and that it is likely that the original complaint or indictment would not
1.16have been filed or sought or would have been dismissed with the knowledge of all of the
1.17circumstances. Joinder and agreement to compensation based on the interests of justice by
1.18the prosecutor shall conclusively establish eligibility for compensation precluding any
1.19further proceedings under paragraph (b). Upon receipt of prosecutor's joinder and agreement,
1.20the court shall issue an order as described in subdivision 7, granting petitioner's eligibility
1.21for compensation under this subdivision.
1.22 (b) If the prosecutor does not join and agree as provided under paragraph (a), the court
1.23shall determine if an individual who is exonerated is eligible for compensation based on
1.24the establishment of innocence if the petitioner establishes that a crime was not committed
1Section 1.
REVISOR KLL/AC 25-0519103/25/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 3000
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Feist04/01/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy 2.1or that the crime was not committed by the petitioner. The petitioner's burden of proof and
2.2the procedures set forth in section 590.04, subdivision 3, apply to this proceeding.
2.3 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 611.365, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.4 Subd. 4.Notice and acceptance of award.A claimant who is awarded damages under
2.5this section must be provided with a written notice of the award, which must include an
2.6itemization of the total damage award calculation. A claimant's acceptance of an award,
2.7compromise, or settlement must be in writing and is final and conclusive on the claimant.
2.8This subdivision does not apply to a payment of preliminary monetary damages pursuant
2.9to subdivision 8.
2.10 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 611.365, is amended by adding a subdivision to
2.11read:
2.12 Subd. 8.Preliminary monetary damages.If, pursuant to section 590.11, subdivision
2.133, paragraph (a), the prosecutor indicates prior to the filing of the petition that the prosecutor
2.14will join the petition, the claimant is entitled to a prompt payment of preliminary monetary
2.15damages to be paid out from the exoneration compensation account in the special revenue
2.16fund. The amount of preliminary monetary damages is equal to $5,000 for each year of
2.17incarceration and $2,500 for each year served on supervised release or as a registered
2.18predatory offender. Preliminary monetary damages must be prorated for partial years served.
2.19Final damages awarded under this section must be reduced by the amount of preliminary
2.20monetary damages paid.
2.21 Sec. 4. [611.3677] EXONERATION COMPENSATION ACCOUNT.
2.22 Subdivision 1.Establishment.An exoneration compensation account is created in the
2.23special revenue fund in the state treasury. Money in the exoneration compensation account
2.24is appropriated to the commissioner of public safety for payment of preliminary monetary
2.25damages awards pursuant to section 611.365, subdivision 8.
2.26 Subd. 2.Transfer.$250,000 in fiscal year 2026 is transferred from the general fund to
2.27the exoneration compensation account. Upon payment of preliminary monetary damages
2.28awards pursuant to section 611.365, subdivision 8, an amount equal to the payment shall
2.29be transferred from the general fund to the exoneration compensation account to maintain
2.30a balance of $250,000.
2Sec. 4.
REVISOR KLL/AC 25-0519103/25/25