This bill establishes a comprehensive field trip policy for schools, ensuring that school employees, independent contractors, or volunteers are not alone with a student during field trips, including overnight stays, unless specific conditions such as parental consent or emergencies are met. It introduces the criminal offense of grooming, defined as a pattern of conduct by an adult that seduces or entices a child to engage in unlawful sexual conduct, classified as a felony. The bill also mandates that various licensing boards report incidents of teacher misconduct and develop training modules for mandated reporters in education to recognize and report grooming behaviors.

Additionally, the bill amends Minnesota Statutes to enhance the reporting and investigation processes related to child maltreatment and educator misconduct. It allows local welfare agencies and law enforcement to investigate allegations of maltreatment that occurred more than three years prior to a report, ensuring that time limits do not hinder child protection. The bill also establishes stricter penalties for individuals in positions of authority over children in educational settings, making it a felony for those who are more than 36 months older than a child under 18 to commit certain prohibited acts. To support these changes, the bill allocates funds from the general fund for the commissioner of education and increases the general fund base for the commissioner of corrections to accommodate the anticipated rise in felony convictions.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 122A.20, 260E.15, 260E.28, 609.352
1st Engrossment: 122A.20, 260E.15, 260E.28, 609.352
2nd Engrossment: 122A.20, 260E.15, 260E.28, 609.352
3rd Engrossment: 122A.20, 260E.15, 260E.28, 609.352
4th Engrossment: 122A.20, 260E.15, 260E.28, 609.352