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SF2497 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Minimum age for delinquency ten years of age maintenance

Related bill: HF287

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to amend Minnesota's laws concerning the age at which children can be considered delinquent or juvenile petty offenders. The legislation focuses on maintaining a minimum age for prosecuting children for delinquent acts and petty offenses, with proposed amendments to protect younger children from being subjected to such legal proceedings.

Main Provisions

  • Age of Delinquency: The bill proposes to continue recognizing 10 years as the minimum age of delinquency, meaning children younger than 10 cannot be charged with crimes in juvenile court.

  • Changes Effective August 2026:

    • Delinquent Acts: From August 1, 2026, the definition of a delinquent child will exclude those who allegedly committed a delinquent act before turning 13. This effectively raises the minimum age for such charges to 13.
    • Juvenile Petty Offenses: Similarly, children who commit juvenile petty offenses before reaching 13 years old would not be classified as juvenile petty offenders starting on the same date.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

  • The changes eliminate the ability to prosecute children under 13 for delinquent acts or petty offenses, shifting the focus of the juvenile justice system towards older youths.
  • It also redefines what constitutes a "child in need of protection or services" to align with these age-related adjustments, ending the use of this definition for children under 10 and redefining it for those under 13 by 2026.

Relevant Terms

  • Delinquent Child
  • Juvenile Petty Offender
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Child in Need of Protection or Services
  • Age of Delinquency

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 12, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
March 12, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toJudiciary and Public Safety

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill amends the definition of a delinquent child and juvenile petty offender under section 260B.007.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260B.007"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill mentions section 609.685 in the context of juvenile offenses.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "609.685"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references 609.5632 to distinguish between juvenile petty offenses and other misdemeanor offenses.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "609.5632"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill amends definitions related to children in need of protection or services, referencing section 260C.227.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260C.227"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill references section 260C.503 regarding the termination of parental rights.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260C.503"
  }
]

Sponsors