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SF967 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Criminal penalties for crimes committed because of the victim's political affiliation or beliefs modification

Related bill: HF908

AI Generated Summary

Purpose

  • The bill aims to strengthen public safety by increasing penalties for assaults that are motivated by a victim’s or another person’s actual or perceived characteristics, including political affiliation or beliefs.

Main Provisions

  • Defines “assaults motivated by bias” as assaults where the motive is based on actual or perceived characteristics such as race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, political affiliation or beliefs, national origin, or disability, or the victim’s association with a person or group.
  • Penalty for bias-motivated assault (as amended in 609.2231 subd. 4): imprisonment for up to 364 days, or a fine of up to $3,000, or both.
  • Repeat offense provision (within five years of a previous bias-motivated assault conviction): the offense becomes a felony, with a penalty of imprisonment for up to 1 year and 1 day, or a fine up to $3,000, or both.
  • The bill also proposes amendments to related statutes (609.2233, 609.595 subdivisions 1a and 2, and 609.749 subdivision 3) to align with the enhanced bias-motivated offense and penalties, though specific changes to those sections are not detailed in the excerpt.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

  • Expands protected characteristics to include political affiliation or beliefs as a basis for bias-motivated assaults.
  • Elevates penalties for bias-motivated assaults, including making repeat offenses within five years a felony with stricter potential penalties.
  • Updates multiple related statutes to reflect the new bias-based sentencing framework.

Practical Impact (summary)

  • Potentially harsher consequences for individuals who commit assaults tied to bias, including political beliefs.
  • A clearer framework for prosecutors to pursue bias-mased offenses and for courts to impose stiffer sentences on repeat offenders.

Relevant Terms bias; bias-motivated assault; political affiliation; political beliefs; actual or perceived race; color; ethnicity; religion; sex; gender; sexual orientation; gender identity; gender expression; age; national origin; disability; Minnesota Statutes 2024; 609.2231; 609.2233; 609.595; 609.749; imprisonment; fine; felony; five years; five-year window

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
February 03, 2025SenateActionIntroduction and first reading
February 03, 2025SenateActionReferred toJudiciary and Public Safety

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 609.2231, subdivision 4, to prohibit assaults motivated by bias based on protected characteristics or associations, and to set penalties including imprisonment up to 364 days or a fine up to $3,000, or both. It also includes a provision that a violation within five years of a previous conviction under paragraph a is a felony with penalties up to one year and one day in prison or a fine up to $3,000, or both.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "609.2231",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 4"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill references Minnesota Statutes 609.2233, but the excerpt provided does not include its text.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "609.2233",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill references Minnesota Statutes 609.595, subdivisions 1a and 2, in connection with penalties or provisions related to bias-motivated offenses, as part of amending existing statutes.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "609.595",
    "subdivision": "subdivisions 1a 2"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill references Minnesota Statutes 609.749, subdivision 3.1.6; the exact text in the excerpt is not fully clear, but it pertains to penalties or provisions related to bias-motivated offenses within that statute.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "609.749",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 3.1.6"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This statute defines protected classes and is referenced in 609.2231 as the basis for bias-motivated offenses.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "363A.03",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]

Progress through the legislative process

17%
In Committee

Sponsors

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