Purpose

• Create a dedicated office to address gaps in identifying, investigating, and addressing hate incidents and hate crimes targeting people of Asian and Asian Indian descent, and also anti-religious bias.
• Prevent, monitor, and respond to bias-based discrimination and hate, including anti-immigration bias affecting lawful immigration categories.
• Improve coordination among state agencies, law enforcement, schools, and community organizations.

Key terms and definitions

• Asian descent: includes people with ancestry from any Asian ethnic or national group, explicitly including South Asian descent and Asian Indians.
• Bias-motivated conduct: actions carried out because of actual or perceived race, ethnicity (including Asian descent), national origin, religion, or immigration status.
• Hate crime: a criminal act motivated by bias-motivated conduct.
• Hate incident: a noncriminal incident driven by bias.
• Immigration status: a person’s actual or perceived immigration classification (e.g., citizenship, permanent residency, work visas, refugees, asylum seekers).

Establishment of the Ombudsperson

• Creates the Office of the Ombudsperson for AntiAsian, AntiAsian Indian, and AntiReligious Hate Prevention.
• The ombudsperson operates independently and works with the Council of Asian-Pacific Minnesotans.
• Appointment by the Legislative Coordinating Commission; four-year term; eligible for reappointment; removable for just cause; must have relevant experience.
• May hire an assistant.

Duties of the Ombudsperson

• Receive and review complaints about anti-Asian or anti-religious hate, bias, and discrimination.
• Help individuals navigate complaint processes in state agencies, local governments, and law enforcement; advocate for complainants.
• Identify systemic issues and recommend policy changes to relevant legislative committees.
• Provide outreach, education, and training to communities, schools, and public agencies.
• Develop and maintain a statewide reporting system that disaggregates data on bias and hate incidents.
• Coordinate with the Department of Public Safety on hate crime data collection and response.
• Work with Asian communities and religious minority groups; refer matters to authorities when appropriate.

Training and education

• Develop bias-aware investigation training and cultural-competency education modules for state agencies and law enforcement.
• Modules should be usable in K-12 curricula and community programs to address stereotypes about race, ethnicity, national origin, and religion.
• Training content also covers issues related to immigration status and visas, and how to respond to hate incidents and hate crimes.

Victim services

• Create a program offering culturally competent victim services through community organizations.
• Build a directory of culturally specific organizations for easy access to victims and communities.
• Assist immigrant workers, including visa holders, in accessing culturally appropriate victim services.

Authority and coordination

• The ombudsperson can access nonconfidential data from state agencies, request cooperation from agencies, and convene interagency groups.
• Can issue nonbinding recommendations to agencies, schools, and law enforcement.
• Partners with community organizations to support outreach and education.

Data practices and privacy

• Data collected by the ombudsperson is governed by existing data laws.
• Personal identifying information about complainants is private unless the person consents; reports released must deidentify individuals.

Reporting and accountability

• The ombudsperson must report quarterly to the chairs and ranking minority members of relevant legislative committees.
• Use the data to strengthen laws and improve education and resources to address bias-motivated incidents and crimes.

Civil liability

• The ombudsperson and any designee are not civilly liable for actions taken in good faith within the office’s authority, as long as there was no willful or reckless conduct.

Funding (appropriation)

• In fiscal year 2027, general fund funding is provided for:
  • Operating the ombudsperson’s office,
  • Collecting hate incident and hate crime data,
  • Supporting victims of hate incidents and crimes against people of Asian descent,
  • Developing bias-awareness training tools and education resources,
  • Coordinating with community organizations serving Asian and Asian Indian communities.
• The funding base continues in fiscal years 2028 and 2029.

Significant changes to existing law

• Establishes a new independent Ombudsperson office dedicated to anti-Asian, anti-Asian Indian, and anti-religious hate prevention.
• Creates new duties for complaint handling, systemic reviews, and coordinated reporting.
• Introduces mandatory bias-aware training across multiple sectors (state agencies, law enforcement, education).
• Adds a statewide, disaggregated hate/bias incident reporting system and enhanced victim services with culturally competent supports.
• Expands data sharing and interagency collaboration related to hate incidents and hate crimes.

Relevant Terms - Asian descent - South Asian / Asian Indian - bias-motivated conduct - hate crime - hate incident - immigration status - anti-Asian hate - anti-Asian Indian hate - anti-religious hate - ombudsperson - bias-aware training - disaggregated reporting - Department of Public Safety - cultural competency - victim services - data privacy - interagency coordination