SF5066

Purpose

This bill focuses on state government policy and funding related to court and public safety, school safety and emergency preparedness, and changes to certain criminal and firearms-related laws. It also proposes administrative changes (such as new permits and decommissioning requirements for law enforcement vehicles) and repeals several existing statutes.

Key provisions and what they aim to accomplish

• Article 1: Judiciary Appropriations

  • Supreme Court security: Funds to provide a protection detail for the Chief Justice at official events and travel.
  • Judicial Branch Security Unit: Funds to staff security operations.
  • Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative: A one-time $1,000,000 grant program for courthouse safety improvements (grants may cover assessments, equipment, technology, construction, or training). Recipients must provide a 50% nonstate match and the money is available through June 30, 2029.
  • Onetime and ongoing funding through 2026–2027 for these judiciary security initiatives.

• Article 2: Public Safety Appropriations and Related Fiscal Policies

  • Public Safety Administration: One-time $500,000 for an awareness campaign related to extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs).
  • Emergency Management – School Safety:
  • School Safety Grant Program: $4,565,000 in the second year to support a grant program for K-12 schools to improve safety and security; aligns with an all-hazards approach (natural, technological, health, and violence-related threats).
  • Minnesota School Safety Center Team: $435,000 (second year) for staffing and operations.
  • Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Team: $2,084,000 (second year) to assess and manage threats and prevent targeted violence.
  • Financial Crimes and Fraud Section: $1,531,000 (second year) to fund staff and operations for financial crimes and fraud efforts.
  • Ownership Certifications: $450,000 (second year) to develop and administer a process for obtaining a certificate of legal ownership for semiautomatic military-style assault weapons under state law; base funding begins in 2028 at $146,000.
  • Corrections funding (within Article 2): Adds to base budget for incarceration and prerelease services in upcoming fiscal years.

• Article 3: Policy and Crime Provisions

  • Authorized Emergency Vehicles (169.011 and 169.033): Expands and clarifies what counts as an authorized emergency vehicle and how emergency vehicle permits are issued. Requires operator training and listing on permits; permits are commissioner-approved. Rulemaking for this area is exempt from standard rulemaking processes.
  • Decommissioning of law enforcement vehicles (new subdivision to 169.98): When a vehicle is removed from use, the agency must remove all markings and equipment that could lead a reasonable person to think the vehicle is a law enforcement vehicle.
  • School Safety Grant Program (299A.956): Establishes definitions, goals, eligibility, application and award processes, and allowed activities for the all-hazards school safety grant program. Eligible activities include developing or updating safety and emergency plans, training and drills, threat assessments, violence prevention, safety upgrades, and emergency communications tools. Grants may not fund routine operations, replace ongoing funding, or support activities prohibited by law; the program emphasizes evidence-based, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate practices and outcomes.
  • First-degree murder changes (609.185): Expands the circumstances that constitute murder in the first degree. Adds specific scenarios where causing death in the course of other serious offenses (e.g., burglary, aggravated robbery, carjacking, arson, driving-related offenses, drug offenses) can be charged as first-degree murder. Also includes enhanced first-degree murder for killing certain public officials (e.g., peace officers, prosecutors, judges), and for certain child abuse or domestic abuse contexts when there is an abuse pattern or terrorism-related circumstances. Definitions for child abuse and domestic abuse are clarified in this section.
  • Other amendments and repeals: The bill repeals several existing statutory sections and subdivisions (examples include portions of 169.58, 471.633, 471.634, 609.667, 609.67, 624.7131, 624.7132, 624.714, 624.717, and 624.7191) as part of its changes to related criminal or safety provisions.
  • Building permit exception for security fence (BCA site): Creates a carve-out allowing construction of a new eight-foot security fence and access controls at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension building without a building permit, referencing a prior building code exemption.

Significant changes to existing law

• Expands and clarifies what qualifies as an authorized emergency vehicle and how such vehicles are permitted and operated.
• Adds requirements for decommissioning law enforcement vehicles to prevent misidentification.
• Creates or strengthens a comprehensive School Safety Grant Program under an all-hazards framework, with specific eligibility criteria and allowed activities.
• Broadens first-degree murder criteria to cover more circumstances related to violent offenses and certain protected targets (including public officials and certain domestic abuse/child abuse scenarios, including terrorism-related contexts).
• Repeals several statutes related to current safety, criminal, and retaliatory provisions, effectively removing or restructuring existing rules in those areas.
• Provides targeted funding for courthouse security, threat assessment teams, and nonprofit or public safety initiatives, funded through a mix of ongoing and one-time appropriations.

Funding and implementation notes

• Several security and school-safety programs are funded as one-time appropriations or limited-time programs with specified end dates (e.g., 2029 for the Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative, 2029 for some school-safety grants).
• Some programs are intended to be ongoing starting in fiscal year 2026–2027, with specific annual amounts and matching requirements (e.g., 50% nonstate match for courthouse grants).
• The bill directs the creation or expansion of administrative processes (permits, certifications, decommissioning standards) and includes rulemaking exemptions for certain sections.

Potential impacts and considerations

• Increased focus on courthouse and court system security, potentially improving safety for judges, prosecutors, and court staff.
• Expanded school safety funding and all-hazards planning could improve preparedness for natural disasters, threats, and emergencies in schools.
• Strengthened threat assessment and financial crimes response could improve prevention and enforcement capabilities.
• New ownership certification requirements for semiautomatic military-style assault weapons could affect how certain firearms are legally documented and handled.
• The broad expansion of first-degree murder definitions could raise prosecutorial options in overlapping crime situations, influencing criminal cases and sentencing.
• Repeals of several statutes may shift legal standards and require changes in related enforcement or administrative practices.

Notable carve-outs and clarifications

• Building permit exemption for the BCA security fence project referenced to a previous statute.
• Rulemaking for emergency vehicles is exempt from standard rulemaking processes.
• School safety grants emphasize all-hazards planning, trauma-informed approaches, and collaboration among schools, law enforcement, emergency management, public health, and community partners.

Relevant terms authorized emergency vehicle; emergency vehicle permit; all-hazards approach; school safety grant program; Minnesota School Safety Center; behavioral threat assessment; threat management; financial crimes and fraud section; ownership certifications for semiautomatic military-style assault weapons; decommissioning of law enforcement vehicles; Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative; extreme risk protection orders; courthouse security assessments; public safety appropriations; judiciary/security funding; first-degree murder modifications; child abuse; domestic abuse; terrorism.