This bill aims to enhance transparency in the criminal justice system by requiring county attorneys to document and report the reasons for dismissing felony charges. Specifically, it mandates that county attorneys record detailed information about each dismissal, including the defendant's name, the date of the offense, all crimes charged, any charges dismissed, victim support for the dismissal, the date of dismissal, and the reasons for the dismissal. This information must be forwarded to the Sentencing Guidelines Commission and published on the county attorney's publicly accessible website, while ensuring that no identifying information about victims is disclosed.

Additionally, the Sentencing Guidelines Commission is tasked with including a summary and analysis of these dismissal reports in its annual report to the legislature. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 244.09, by adding a new subdivision and proposes new coding in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 388. Both the new reporting requirements and the effective date of August 1, 2025, apply to dismissals occurring on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 244.09