Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF908 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to public safety; increasing certain criminal penalties for crimes committed
3	3	1.3 because of the victim's political affiliation or beliefs; amending Minnesota Statutes
4	4	1.4 2024, sections 609.2231, subdivision 4; 609.2233; 609.595, subdivisions 1a, 2;
5	5	1.5 609.749, subdivision 3.
6	6	1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
7	7	1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.2231, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
8	8	1.8 Subd. 4.Assaults motivated by bias.(a) Whoever assaults another in whole or in
9	9	1.9substantial part because of the victim's or another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity,
10	10	1.10religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political
11	11	1.11affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, or because
12	12	1.12of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or group of a certain
13	13	1.13actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender
14	14	1.14identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability
15	15	1.15as defined in section 363A.03, may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 364
16	16	1.16days or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
17	17	1.17 (b) Whoever violates the provisions of paragraph (a) within five years of a previous
18	18	1.18conviction under paragraph (a) is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment
19	19	1.19for not more than one year and a day or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or
20	20	1.20both.
21	21	1.21 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
22	22	1.22committed on or after that date.
23	23	1Section 1.
24	24	REVISOR KLL/ES 25-0251301/24/25
25	25	State of Minnesota
26	26	This Document can be made available
27	27	in alternative formats upon request
28	28	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
29	29	H. F. No. 908
30	30	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
31	31	Authored by Kresha02/17/2025
32	32	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy 2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.2233, is amended to read:
33	33	2.2 609.2233 FELONY ASSAULT MOTIVATED BY BIAS; INCREASED
34	34	2.3STATUTORY MAXIMUM SENTENCE.
35	35	2.4 A person who violates section 609.221, 609.222, or 609.223 in whole or in substantial
36	36	2.5part because of the victim's or another person's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity,
37	37	2.6religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political
38	38	2.7affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, or because
39	39	2.8of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or group of a certain
40	40	2.9actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender
41	41	2.10identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability
42	42	2.11as defined in section 363A.03, is subject to a statutory maximum penalty of 25 percent
43	43	2.12longer than the maximum penalty otherwise applicable.
44	44	2.13 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
45	45	2.14committed on or after that date.
46	46	2.15 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.595, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
47	47	2.16 Subd. 1a.Criminal damage to property in the second degree.(a) Whoever intentionally
48	48	2.17causes damage described in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), is guilty of a felony and may be
49	49	2.18sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year and a day or to payment of a fine of
50	50	2.19not more than $3,000, or both, if the damage:
51	51	2.20 (1) was committed in whole or in substantial part because of the property owner's or
52	52	2.21another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation,
53	53	2.22gender identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or
54	54	2.23disability as defined in section 363A.03;
55	55	2.24 (2) was committed in whole or in substantial part because of the victim's actual or
56	56	2.25perceived association with another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race,
57	57	2.26color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
58	58	2.27age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
59	59	2.28or
60	60	2.29 (3) was motivated in whole or in substantial part by an intent to intimidate or harm an
61	61	2.30individual or group of individuals because of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity,
62	62	2.31religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political
63	63	2.32affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03.
64	64	2Sec. 3.
65	65	REVISOR KLL/ES 25-0251301/24/25 3.1 (b) In any prosecution under paragraph (a), the value of property damaged by the
66	66	3.2defendant in violation of that paragraph within any six-month period may be aggregated
67	67	3.3and the defendant charged accordingly in applying this section. When two or more offenses
68	68	3.4are committed by the same person in two or more counties, the accused may be prosecuted
69	69	3.5in any county in which one of the offenses was committed for all of the offenses aggregated
70	70	3.6under this paragraph.
71	71	3.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
72	72	3.8committed on or after that date.
73	73	3.9 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.595, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
74	74	3.10 Subd. 2.Criminal damage to property in the third degree.(a) Except as otherwise
75	75	3.11provided in subdivision 1a, whoever intentionally causes damage to another person's physical
76	76	3.12property without the other person's consent may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more
77	77	3.13than 364 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both, if: (1) the damage
78	78	3.14reduces the value of the property by more than $500 but not more than $1,000 as measured
79	79	3.15by the cost of repair and replacement; or (2) the damage was to a public safety motor vehicle
80	80	3.16and the defendant knew the vehicle was a public safety motor vehicle.
81	81	3.17 (b) Whoever intentionally causes damage to another person's physical property without
82	82	3.18the other person's consent may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 364 days
83	83	3.19or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both, if the damage reduces the value
84	84	3.20of the property by not more than $500 and:
85	85	3.21 (1) was committed in whole or in substantial part because of the property owner's or
86	86	3.22another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation,
87	87	3.23gender identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or
88	88	3.24disability as defined in section 363A.03;
89	89	3.25 (2) was committed in whole or in substantial part because of the victim's actual or
90	90	3.26perceived association with another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race,
91	91	3.27color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
92	92	3.28age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
93	93	3.29or
94	94	3.30 (3) was motivated in whole or in substantial part by an intent to intimidate or harm an
95	95	3.31individual or group of individuals because of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity,
96	96	3.32religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political
97	97	3.33affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03.
98	98	3Sec. 4.
99	99	REVISOR KLL/ES 25-0251301/24/25 4.1 (c) In any prosecution under paragraph (a), clause (1), the value of property damaged
100	100	4.2by the defendant in violation of that paragraph within any six-month period may be
101	101	4.3aggregated and the defendant charged accordingly in applying this section. When two or
102	102	4.4more offenses are committed by the same person in two or more counties, the accused may
103	103	4.5be prosecuted in any county in which one of the offenses was committed for all of the
104	104	4.6offenses aggregated under this paragraph.
105	105	4.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
106	106	4.8committed on or after that date.
107	107	4.9 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.749, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
108	108	4.10 Subd. 3.Aggravated violations.(a) A person who commits any of the following acts
109	109	4.11is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or
110	110	4.12to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both:
111	111	4.13 (1) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 in whole or in substantial part because
112	112	4.14of the victim's or another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender,
113	113	4.15sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs,
114	114	4.16national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, or because of the victim's actual
115	115	4.17or perceived association with another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race,
116	116	4.18color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
117	117	4.19age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
118	118	4.20 (2) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 by falsely impersonating another;
119	119	4.21 (3) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 and a dangerous weapon was used
120	120	4.22in any way in the commission of the offense;
121	121	4.23 (4) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 with intent to influence or otherwise
122	122	4.24tamper with a juror or a judicial proceeding or with intent to retaliate against a judicial
123	123	4.25officer, as defined in section 609.415, or a prosecutor, defense attorney, or officer of the
124	124	4.26court, because of that person's performance of official duties in connection with a judicial
125	125	4.27proceeding; or
126	126	4.28 (5) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 against a victim under the age of
127	127	4.2918, if the actor is more than 36 months older than the victim.
128	128	4.30 (b) A person who commits any offense described in subdivision 2 against a victim under
129	129	4.31the age of 18, if the actor is more than 36 months older than the victim, and the act is
130	130	4.32committed with sexual or aggressive intent, is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to
131	131	4Sec. 5.
132	132	REVISOR KLL/ES 25-0251301/24/25 5.1imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000,
133	133	5.2or both.
134	134	5.3 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
135	135	5.4committed on or after that date.
136	136	5Sec. 5.
137	137	REVISOR KLL/ES 25-0251301/24/25