SF287

Purpose

• Expand the automatic license suspension rules to include people who are involved in certain criminal vehicle offenses. Specifically, it targets suspensions when a peace officer has probable cause to believe the person committed criminal vehicular operation or criminal vehicular homicide, as well as when the person is formally charged with related offenses arising from operating a motor vehicle.

Main provisions

• The commissioner must suspend the driver’s license of a person who:
  • Has a peace officer’s certification (per section 629.344) indicating probable cause that the person violated specific criminal vehicle offenses listed in the bill.
  • Has been formally charged with a violation of certain offenses arising from operating a motor vehicle, including sections 609.20, 609.205, 609.2112, 609.2113, or 609.2114.
• The relevant offenses mentioned relate to criminal vehicular operation and criminal vehicular homicide (and other listed vehicle-operation offenses), tying these offenses to immediate or near-term license suspensions.

Significant changes to existing law

• Adds a new automatic suspension trigger based on (a) probable cause certified by a peace officer under section 629.344, and (b) formal charges for specified offenses connected to operating a motor vehicle.
• Modifies Minnesota Statutes by amending section 171.187 subdivision 1 (and related references) to codify this suspension requirement for the identified scenarios, aligning license suspensions with alleged or charged criminal vehicular conduct.

How this works in practice

• If a peace officer has probable cause to believe a person committed one of the listed offenses connected to vehicle operation, the person’s driver’s license is suspended.
• If a person is formally charged with one of the listed offenses connected to vehicle operation, their driver’s license is suspended as part of the enforcement process.
• The changes apply to offenses involving criminal vehicular operation and criminal vehicular homicide, and to the other listed offenses arising from motor vehicle operation.

Relevant Terms - driver’s license suspension - peace officer - probable cause - certification (section 629.344) - section 609.2112 - section 609.2113 - section 609.2114 - sections 609.20 and 609.205 - criminal vehicular operation - criminal vehicular homicide - operation of a motor vehicle