A bill for an act
relating to public safety; modifying crime of fleeing peace officer in motor vehicle
to add heightened penalty for fleeing in culpably negligent manner; establishing
crime of fleeing in motor vehicle and failing to obey certain traffic laws; authorizing
the expanded use of tracking devices for fleeing motor vehicles; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 171.174; 609.487, subdivision 5, by adding
subdivisions; 609B.205; 626A.35, by adding a subdivision.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 171.174, is amended to read:
The commissioner of public safety shall revoke the license of a person upon receipt of
a certificate of conviction showing that the person has in a motor vehicle violated section
609.487, subdivision 3new text begin , 3a, 3b,new text end or 4, or an ordinance in conformity with those subdivisions.
The commissioner shall revoke the license as follows:
(1) for the first offense under section 609.487, subdivision 3, for not less than one year;
(2) for the second offense or subsequent offenses under section 609.487, subdivision 3,
for not less than three years;
(3)new text begin for an offense under section 609.487, subdivision 3a, for not less than four years;
new text end
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(4) for an offense under section 609.487, subdivision 3b, for not less than ….. years;
new text end
new text begin (5) new text end for an offense under section 609.487, subdivision 4, clause (a), for not less than ten
years;
deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end for an offense under section 609.487, subdivision 4, clause (b), for not less than
seven years; and
deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end for an offense under section 609.487, subdivision 4, clause (c), for not less than
five years.
A limited license under section 171.30 may not be issued for one-half of the revocation
period specified in clauses (1) to deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end and after that period is over only upon and as
recommended by the adjudicating court.
new text begin
This section is effective August 1, 2024, and applies to crimes
committed on or after that date.
new text end
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 609.487, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
new text begin
Whoever, by means
of a motor vehicle, flees or attempts to flee a peace officer who is acting in the lawful
discharge of an official duty, and the perpetrator knows or should reasonably know the same
to be a peace officer, and who in the course of fleeing operates the vehicle in a culpably
negligent manner whereby the perpetrator creates an unreasonable risk and consciously
takes chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another, is guilty of a felony and
may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than four years or to payment of a fine of
not more than $8,000, or both.
new text end
new text begin
This section is effective August 1, 2024, and applies to crimes
committed on or after that date.
new text end
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 609.487, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
new text begin
Whoever flees or attempts to flee by
means of a motor vehicle a peace officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of an official
duty, and the perpetrator knows or should reasonably know the same to be a peace officer,
and who in the course of fleeing in a motor vehicle does any of the following is guilty of a
felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment
of a fine of not more than $10,000 or both:
new text end
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(1) fails to obey signs, signals, or markings in violation of section 169.06, subdivision
4, 4a, 4b, 5, 6, 7, or 8; or
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(2) fails to keep on the proper side of the road in violation of section 169.18.
new text end
new text begin
This section is effective August 1, 2024, and applies to crimes
committed on or after that date.
new text end
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 609.487, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
When a person is convicted of
operating a motor vehicle in violation of subdivision 3new text begin , 3a, 3b,new text end or 4, or an ordinance in
conformity with those subdivisions, the court shall notify the commissioner of public safety
and order the commissioner to revoke the driver's license of the person.
new text begin
This section is effective August 1, 2024, and applies to crimes
committed on or after that date.
new text end
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 609B.205, is amended to read:
A person's driver's license is revoked under section 171.174 if that person is convicted
of fleeing a peace officer under section 609.487, subdivision 3new text begin , 3a, 3b,new text end or 4. The periods of
revocation vary depending upon the offense of conviction and whether the offense of
conviction is a second or subsequent offense.
new text begin
This section is effective August 1, 2024, and applies to crimes
committed on or after that date.
new text end
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 626A.35, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
new text begin
The prohibition under subdivision 1 does
not apply to the use of a mobile tracking device on a fleeing motor vehicle. For purposes
of this subdivision, the term "flee" has the meaning provided in section 609.487, subdivision
1.
new text end
new text begin
This section is effective August 1, 2024, and applies to crimes
committed on or after that date.
new text end