HF4975

Purpose

• Extend the time to use certain grant funds and update a wide range of public safety and justice-related appropriations. The bill amends existing law to continue funding for programs that support domestic and sexual violence survivors, crime victims, youth involved with child welfare and juvenile justice, restorative practices, law enforcement training, and related prevention and research efforts.

Main provisions (what the bill does)

• Office of Justice Programs funding by category:
  • Domestic Violence Housing First grant program: funds to help survivors access safe, stable housing and to support mobile advocacy and housing resources.
  • Minnesota Domestic and Sexual Violence Transitional Housing program: funds to develop and support long-term transitional housing for survivors, with supportive services.
  • Federal Victims of Crime Funding Gap: a onetime, ongoing annual appropriation to support services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims, child abuse victims, and other crimes.
  • Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls: funding to establish and maintain this office and related advisory groups.
  • Increased staffing at several units for program monitoring, compliance, training, and outreach (to improve applicant and victim experiences and outcomes; includes expanding the Minnesota Statistical Analysis Center and crime victim reimbursement unit).
  • Office of Restorative Practices: ongoing funding for establishing and maintaining restorative practices.
  • Crossover and Dual-Status Youth Model Grants: grants to help local governments start or expand programs for youths involved in or at risk of involvement with both child welfare and juvenile justice systems (one-time; available through 12/31/2026).
  • Restorative Practices Initiatives Grants: funding for restorative practices and a restitution grant program (available through 6/30/2026; base amount increases starting fiscal year 2026).
  • Ramsey County Youth Treatment Homes Acquisition and Betterment: grant to create up to seven intensive, trauma-informed, culturally specific residential treatment homes for youth, with court-ordered disposition alignment.
  • Ramsey County Violence Prevention grants: funding to build community-based violence prevention capacity, family support, post-placement reentry support, crisis de-escalation options, and employment opportunities for system-involved youth (available through 6/30/2027).
  • Office for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives: additional staff and operating costs for advisory boards and reward programs.
  • Youth Intervention Programs: ongoing funding for youth intervention services (base amounts set for 2026–2027).
  • Community Crime Intervention and Prevention Grants: one-time funding for community-level intervention and prevention grants.
  • Resources for Victims of Crime: one-time funding for direct services and advocacy for victims not covered by other specific programs, including culturally responsive and underserved communities.
  • Prosecutor Training: funding for prosecutorial and law enforcement training with emphasis on racial disparities, trauma-informed responses, and related reporting requirements.
  • Minnesota Heals: one-time funding for the Minnesota Heals grant program.
  • Sexual Assault Exam Costs: reimbursements to health care providers for medical examinations and program administration costs (with specified first- and second-year baselines).
  • First Responder Mental Health Curriculum: grant to develop a 24-week certificate program for therapists to understand first responders’ work environments, culture, and stressors; includes online delivery and resource directory.
  • Pathways to Policing: reimbursements to law enforcement agencies for pathway-to-policing program costs (up to 50% of eligible costs; one-time).
  • Direct Assistance to Crime Victim Survivors: ongoing grants to provide direct services, advocacy, housing-related supports, competitive wages for direct service staff, and culturally responsive programming; priority to underserved communities.
  • Racially Diverse Youth: grants to address racial disparities in shelter use in Rochester and St. Cloud regions, including community intervention, mobile case management, family reunification, aftercare, and post-shelter support.
  • Violence Prevention Project Research Center: ongoing grant to a nonprofit research center focusing on reducing violence and firearm-related deaths and injuries; annual reporting requirement beginning 2025.
  • Illicit Drug Use in Minnesota (Rise Research LLC study): onetime agreement for a study and series of reports on drug use, policy responses, and funding recommendations; must address public safety, equity, housing, health, and related factors; initial and final reports deadlines specified.
  • Legal Representation for Children: grants to organizations providing legal representation for children in need of protection or services and in out-of-home placement, with a nonstate match requirement; one-time.
  • Pretrial Release Study and Report: grant to study pretrial release and bail practices; one-time.
  • Intensive Comprehensive Peace Officer Education and Training Program: funding to implement training program under state statute; available through mid-2027.
  • Youth Services Office: ongoing funding to operate the Youth Services Office.

Significant changes to existing law

• Extends the period to use current and newly appropriated grant funds (the central purpose stated in the bill’s title).
• Adds a broad set of new or expanded programs and funding lines under the Office of Justice Programs and related agencies.
• Establishes or expands offices, advisory boards, and programs focused on restorative justice, missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, and cross-system youth (child welfare and juvenile justice).
• Introduces or increases onetime and ongoing funding with specified timeframes (e.g., available through 2026 or 2027 in several cases).
• Includes reporting requirements for certain grants and programs (e.g., training program outcomes, Violence Prevention Research Center findings, and policy recommendations from Rise Research).

Notable themes and terminology

• Survivor housing and services: Domestic Violence Housing First, Transitional Housing, housing resources, mobile advocacy.
• Victim services and protection: Victims of Crime funding, direct services, culturally responsive programming, underserved communities.
• Youth in systems: Crossover and Dual-Status Youth, Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare, trauma-informed care.
• Restorative justice: Restorative Practices Grants, Office of Restorative Practices; restitution programs.
• Race and equity: addressing racial disparities in criminal justice systems and in access to shelter/services; culturally specific programs led by people of color.
• Public safety and policing: officer training, pathways to policing, pretrial and bail practices.
• Data, reporting, and research: annual and project reports on violence, firearms, illicit drug use, and training outcomes; Rise Research study with policy recommendations.

Relevant Terms - Office of Justice Programs - Domestic Violence Housing First - Minnesota Domestic and Sexual Violence Transitional Housing - Domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse victims - Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls; Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives - Restorative Practices; Restorative Practices Initiatives Grants - Crossover Youth; Dual-Status Youth - Ramsey County Youth Treatment Homes; Violence Prevention - Youth Intervention Programs - Community Crime Intervention and Prevention Grants - Prosecutor Training; racial disparities; trauma-informed responses - Minnesota Heals - Sexual Assault Exam Costs - First Responder Mental Health Curriculum - Pathways to Policing - Direct Assistance to Crime Victim Survivors - Racially Diverse Youth - Violence Prevention Project Research Center - Rise Research LLC; illicit drug use study; policy recommendations - Legal Representation for Children - Pretrial Release Study - Intensive Comprehensive Peace Officer Education and Training Program - Youth Services Office

If you’d like, I can reformat this into a one-page brief or tailor it for a specific audience (students, community members, or policymakers) with simpler language or additional explanations of any program.