1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to public safety; increasing certain criminal penalties for crimes committed
1.3 because of the victim's political affiliation or beliefs; amending Minnesota Statutes
1.4 2024, sections 609.2231, subdivision 4; 609.2233; 609.595, subdivisions 1a, 2;
1.5 609.749, subdivision 3.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.2231, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.8 Subd. 4.Assaults motivated by bias.(a) Whoever assaults another in whole or in
1.9substantial part because of the victim's or another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity,
1.10religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political
1.11affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, or because
1.12of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or group of a certain
1.13actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender
1.14identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability
1.15as defined in section 363A.03, may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 364
1.16days or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
1.17 (b) Whoever violates the provisions of paragraph (a) within five years of a previous
1.18conviction under paragraph (a) is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment
1.19for not more than one year and a day or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or
1.20both.
1.21 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
1.22committed on or after that date.
1Section 1.
25-02513 as introduced01/24/25 REVISOR KLL/ES
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 967NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: HOWE)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading02/03/2025
Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety 2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.2233, is amended to read:
2.2 609.2233 FELONY ASSAULT MOTIVATED BY BIAS; INCREASED
2.3STATUTORY MAXIMUM SENTENCE.
2.4 A person who violates section 609.221, 609.222, or 609.223 in whole or in substantial
2.5part because of the victim's or another person's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity,
2.6religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political
2.7affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, or because
2.8of the victim's actual or perceived association with another person or group of a certain
2.9actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender
2.10identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability
2.11as defined in section 363A.03, is subject to a statutory maximum penalty of 25 percent
2.12longer than the maximum penalty otherwise applicable.
2.13 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
2.14committed on or after that date.
2.15 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.595, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
2.16 Subd. 1a.Criminal damage to property in the second degree.(a) Whoever intentionally
2.17causes damage described in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), is guilty of a felony and may be
2.18sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year and a day or to payment of a fine of
2.19not more than $3,000, or both, if the damage:
2.20 (1) was committed in whole or in substantial part because of the property owner's or
2.21another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation,
2.22gender identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or
2.23disability as defined in section 363A.03;
2.24 (2) was committed in whole or in substantial part because of the victim's actual or
2.25perceived association with another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race,
2.26color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
2.27age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
2.28or
2.29 (3) was motivated in whole or in substantial part by an intent to intimidate or harm an
2.30individual or group of individuals because of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity,
2.31religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political
2.32affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03.
2Sec. 3.
25-02513 as introduced01/24/25 REVISOR KLL/ES 3.1 (b) In any prosecution under paragraph (a), the value of property damaged by the
3.2defendant in violation of that paragraph within any six-month period may be aggregated
3.3and the defendant charged accordingly in applying this section. When two or more offenses
3.4are committed by the same person in two or more counties, the accused may be prosecuted
3.5in any county in which one of the offenses was committed for all of the offenses aggregated
3.6under this paragraph.
3.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
3.8committed on or after that date.
3.9 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.595, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
3.10 Subd. 2.Criminal damage to property in the third degree.(a) Except as otherwise
3.11provided in subdivision 1a, whoever intentionally causes damage to another person's physical
3.12property without the other person's consent may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more
3.13than 364 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both, if: (1) the damage
3.14reduces the value of the property by more than $500 but not more than $1,000 as measured
3.15by the cost of repair and replacement; or (2) the damage was to a public safety motor vehicle
3.16and the defendant knew the vehicle was a public safety motor vehicle.
3.17 (b) Whoever intentionally causes damage to another person's physical property without
3.18the other person's consent may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 364 days
3.19or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both, if the damage reduces the value
3.20of the property by not more than $500 and:
3.21 (1) was committed in whole or in substantial part because of the property owner's or
3.22another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation,
3.23gender identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or
3.24disability as defined in section 363A.03;
3.25 (2) was committed in whole or in substantial part because of the victim's actual or
3.26perceived association with another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race,
3.27color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
3.28age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
3.29or
3.30 (3) was motivated in whole or in substantial part by an intent to intimidate or harm an
3.31individual or group of individuals because of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity,
3.32religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political
3.33affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03.
3Sec. 4.
25-02513 as introduced01/24/25 REVISOR KLL/ES 4.1 (c) In any prosecution under paragraph (a), clause (1), the value of property damaged
4.2by the defendant in violation of that paragraph within any six-month period may be
4.3aggregated and the defendant charged accordingly in applying this section. When two or
4.4more offenses are committed by the same person in two or more counties, the accused may
4.5be prosecuted in any county in which one of the offenses was committed for all of the
4.6offenses aggregated under this paragraph.
4.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
4.8committed on or after that date.
4.9 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.749, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
4.10 Subd. 3.Aggravated violations.(a) A person who commits any of the following acts
4.11is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or
4.12to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both:
4.13 (1) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 in whole or in substantial part because
4.14of the victim's or another's actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender,
4.15sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs,
4.16national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03, or because of the victim's actual
4.17or perceived association with another person or group of a certain actual or perceived race,
4.18color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
4.19age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability as defined in section 363A.03;
4.20 (2) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 by falsely impersonating another;
4.21 (3) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 and a dangerous weapon was used
4.22in any way in the commission of the offense;
4.23 (4) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 with intent to influence or otherwise
4.24tamper with a juror or a judicial proceeding or with intent to retaliate against a judicial
4.25officer, as defined in section 609.415, or a prosecutor, defense attorney, or officer of the
4.26court, because of that person's performance of official duties in connection with a judicial
4.27proceeding; or
4.28 (5) commits any offense described in subdivision 2 against a victim under the age of
4.2918, if the actor is more than 36 months older than the victim.
4.30 (b) A person who commits any offense described in subdivision 2 against a victim under
4.31the age of 18, if the actor is more than 36 months older than the victim, and the act is
4.32committed with sexual or aggressive intent, is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to
4Sec. 5.
25-02513 as introduced01/24/25 REVISOR KLL/ES 5.1imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000,
5.2or both.
5.3 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies to crimes
5.4committed on or after that date.
5Sec. 5.
25-02513 as introduced01/24/25 REVISOR KLL/ES