| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to public safety; enhancing the penalty for arson directed at a political |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 organization or motivated by a political purpose; amending Minnesota Statutes |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 2024, sections 609.561, by adding a subdivision; 609.563, by adding a subdivision; |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 609.5631, by adding a subdivision; 609.5632. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.561, is amended by adding a subdivision |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8to read: |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9 Subd. 4.First degree; political organization.Whoever unlawfully by means of fire or |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10explosives intentionally destroys or damages any building, whether the property of the actor |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11or another, commits arson in the first degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12more than 25 years or to a fine of not more than $40,000, or both, if: |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13 (1) the building housed a political organization; |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14 (2) the offense was committed in whole or in substantial part because of an actual or |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15perceived association between the building, building's owner, or building's occupant and |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16any political organization; or |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17 (3) the offense was committed in whole or in substantial part to make any political |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18statement. |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20committed on or after that date. |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 22 | 22 | | 25-00702 as introduced12/05/24 REVISOR KLL/AD |
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| 23 | 23 | | SENATE |
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| 24 | 24 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 25 | 25 | | S.F. No. 1367NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 26 | 26 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: LIMMER and Howe) |
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| 27 | 27 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 28 | 28 | | Introduction and first reading02/13/2025 |
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| 29 | 29 | | Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety 2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.563, is amended by adding a subdivision to |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2.2read: |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2.3 Subd. 1a.Political motivation.Whoever violates subdivision 1 may be sentenced to |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.4imprisonment for not more than 90 months or to payment of a fine of $12,500, or both, if: |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.5 (1) the real or personal property is owned or controlled by a political organization; |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.6 (2) the offense was committed in whole or in substantial part because of an actual or |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.7perceived association between the real or personal property and any political organization; |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.8or |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.9 (3) the offense was committed in whole or in substantial part to make any political |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.10statement. |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.11 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.12committed on or after that date. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.13 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.5631, is amended by adding a subdivision |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.14to read: |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.15 Subd. 3.Political motivation.Whoever violates subdivision 2 may be sentenced to |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.16imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of $5,000, or both, if: |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.17 (1) the personal property is owned or controlled by a political organization; |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.18 (2) the offense was committed in whole or in substantial part because of an actual or |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.19perceived association between the personal property and any political organization; or |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.20 (3) the offense was committed in whole or in substantial part to make any political |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.21statement. |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.22 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.23committed on or after that date. |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.24 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.5632, is amended to read: |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.25 609.5632 ARSON IN THE FIFTH DEGREE. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.26 (a) Whoever intentionally by means of fire or explosives sets fire to or burns or causes |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.27to be burned any real or personal property of value is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.28sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.29than $1,000, or both. |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2Sec. 4. |
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| 59 | 59 | | 25-00702 as introduced12/05/24 REVISOR KLL/AD 3.1 (b) Whoever violates paragraph (a) may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than |
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| 60 | 60 | | 3.2364 days or to payment of a fine of $3,000, or both, if: |
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| 61 | 61 | | 3.3 (1) the real or personal property is owned or controlled by a political organization; |
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| 62 | 62 | | 3.4 (2) the offense was committed in whole or in substantial part because of an actual or |
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| 63 | 63 | | 3.5perceived association between the real or personal property and any political organization; |
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| 64 | 64 | | 3.6or |
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| 65 | 65 | | 3.7 (3) the offense was committed in whole or in substantial part to make any political |
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| 66 | 66 | | 3.8statement. |
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| 67 | 67 | | 3.9 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes |
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| 68 | 68 | | 3.10committed on or after that date. |
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| 69 | 69 | | 3Sec. 4. |
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| 70 | 70 | | 25-00702 as introduced12/05/24 REVISOR KLL/AD |
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