SF4717

Purpose

• The bill adds protections for farm operations and expands Minnesota’s trespass laws. It creates a new crime to deter damage to farm machinery and equipment on agricultural land, and it broadens penalties for entering or staying on certain properties without permission.

Main Provisions

• Damage to farm machinery and equipment on agricultural land

  • New crime created: If someone, without the landowner’s consent, places in a growing crop a hard device (like iron, steel, ceramic) with the intent to damage harvesting, spraying, tillage, irrigation, fertilizing, or planting equipment, they commit a gross misdemeanor.
  • Restitution required: A court must order the offender to pay the owner for the damaged machinery or equipment, in addition to any other sentence.
  • Scope: Applies to “agricultural land” as defined by existing law (section 273.13, subdivision 23).

• Expanded and clarified trespass rules

  • The bill revises how certain terms are defined for trespass cases, including premises, dwelling, construction site, and posted areas. It also clarifies who counts as an “owner or lawful possessor,” what counts as a posted or protected area, and what a business licensee is.
  • It adds detailed trespass prohibitions and scenarios, such as:
  • Entering or occupying a dwelling or locked or posted building without permission.
  • Entering the premises to take or injure fruit or vegetables without permission.
  • Entering or returning to property after being told to leave, including within a year after being told to depart.
  • Entering locked or posted construction sites or aggregate mining sites without proper authorization (with an exception for a “business licensee”).
  • Crossing into areas that are cordoned off by a peace officer (with rules on how cordons can be set and recognized).
  • Penalty under these expanded trespass provisions remains a misdemeanor (for the listed offenses when committed with lack of right or consent).

• Targeted trespass protections for vulnerable facilities and agricultural land

  • The bill adds specific gross misdemeanor penalties for trespassing on:
  • Grounds of emergency shelter facilities for battered women or sex trafficking victims (and similar facilities) without permission and when the trespasser refuses to depart.
  • Agricultural land with intent to take or injure crops or to damage farm machinery or equipment.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Creates a new standalone crime (damaging farm machinery and equipment on agricultural land) with restitution requirements.
• Expands and clarifies the definitions and scope of trespass, including more precise rules around posted signs, construction sites, and protected areas.
• Broadens penalties to include trespassing on specified sensitive sites (emergency shelters, facilities serving victims, and agricultural land) when there is intent to damage crops or farm machinery.

How It Affects People

• Farm operators and workers: stronger protections against deliberate damage to equipment and crops; owners can seek restitution.
• Property owners and managers: clearer rules for posting and protecting construction sites and other sensitive areas; more situations treated as trespass offenses.
• General public and visitors: more scenarios where trespass can lead to a misdemeanor, especially around construction sites, farming operations, and shelters for vulnerable individuals.

Terminology From the Bill (Key Terms Included)

• Agricultural land, crop, farm machinery, equipment
• Damage, intent to damage
• Gross misdemeanor, restitution
• Premises, dwelling, construction site, posted, signs
• Owner, lawful possessor, business licensee
• Cordoned off area, peace officer, protected area
• Emergency shelter services, battered women, sex trafficking victims
• Trespass, take or injure, fruit, vegetables

Relevant Terms - agricultural land - farm machinery - equipment - damage - gross misdemeanor - restitution - premises - dwelling - construction site - posted signs - business licensee - cordoned off - peace officer - emergency shelter services - battered women - sex trafficking victims - trespass - crop - farming - agriculture