[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6335870,"mediaKeyId","2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd","parentId",2288477,"title","Authors, law enforcement and sheriffs push different approaches to address rising vehicle fleeing; mobile-tracker exemption debated","audioSeconds",1881,"startMs",1190000,"endMs",3071000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd&start=1190&end=3071","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd/thumbnail_1190000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6335870/Minnesota/Authors-law-enforcement-and-sheriffs-push-different-approaches-to-address-rising-vehicle-fleeing-mobile-tracker-exemption-debated","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335870-fe97bd522fddcb80e5af4841041e704f/orig.mp4?Expires=1776193266&Signature=O2nxXqeoALS1N1reSeyPRBptH9HCPIHlG1Kc6n4QQch-06IVoI0-iN5bdYSIy-HBEjkeipmxfWgQuytix-ix73m3xEQoAEXLiTfNyD96k~Ulti~OQ~4NURh19bIAHBOfAT6~Bh5Ez~7X4puBjUOP~V7yaEtoPvths0qBxEfXDtJK~CZ4e5qbAUIsWE-sIoxKjoX0e~g13LdxOb37jk2afNJyL8ubRQxKQg03xlLKx9fE~IDjHFGm53zZdV~yz4lGe-Mo7vYdnWTPgMulkPAnALV5ol22lHHVVO-cNVqVLtC5zFPeALWZlkkTlys3OdgxQvgEz0MZZPqPPp22Hj1AVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Minnesota Senate Media Services","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","Three competing Senate bills aimed at reducing dangerous instances of fleeing from peace officers in motor vehicles were the focus of an informational hearing on Feb. 12 before the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. Authors, prosecutors, chiefs and sheriffs testified about a rise in pursuits and proposed statutory changes to add intermediate felony tiers and to allow narrow use of mobile tracking devices to reduce high-speed chases.

Senator Amy Gustafson (author of one proposal) opened with statistics and a framework for higher penalties keyed to increasing danger. \"In 2023, there were 2,262 agency-initiated pursuits,\" Gustafson said, and she cited a large increase in auto thefts, telling the committee the bill would add two felony tiers for fleeing that raise maximum imprisonment by one year at each higher tier and would add a statutory exemption to allow an officer to deploy a mobile tracking device on a fleeing vehicle in narrowly defined circumstances.

Senator Erin Coleman (author of a second proposal) described a personal incident that motivated her work: a stolen vehicle nearly struck her family while she was driving with small children. \"I look to my right and I see this device being pulled across the highway...I hear screeching tires, screaming kids,\" Coleman said. She said her bill would create an offense for endangering the public while fleeing and noted bipartisan and law-enforcement support.

A third bill, Senate File 1224, introduced by Senator Lats, proposes two changes: add a culpable-negligence felony tier for particularly dangerous, but not necessarily crash-producing, conduct; and convert the lowest-level fleeing offense from a felony to a gross misdemeanor to remove automatic vehicle-forfeiture and some automatic licensing consequences. \"That lowest level fleeing offense...should not be a felony level offense,\" the author said, explaining the change is intended to prevent disproportionate felony records for relatively brief or minimal evasive maneuvers.

Law-enforcement organizations and chiefs generally supported stiffer penalties and the mobile-tracker exemption. Jay Henthorn, appearing for the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, said officers find current tracking-device exceptions impractical because obtaining owner consent or a confirmed stolen-vehicle report often takes minutes and the fleeing vehicle can escape during that delay. \"By deploying a device onto the fleeing vehicle...the officer can back off from the pursuit or keep the motoring public safe while also maintaining the ability to find the individual or vehicle,\" Henthorn said.

Kevin Torgerson of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office, testifying for the Minnesota Sheriffs Association, said fleeing incidents are increasingly dangerous and frequently involve repeat or very young offenders. He urged stronger penalties to deter repeat behavior and called for complementary intervention programs for juveniles.

Several law-enforcement witnesses supported a cautious, narrowly drawn tracking-device exemption that would allow officers to place a mobile tracker on a vehicle while pulling back from a pursuit, enabling planned arrest operations rather than extended high-speed chases. Attorney Rich Neumeister cautioned the committee about Fourth Amendment issues and urged that any statute include post-event documentation or reporting requirements to maintain accountability.

Committee discussion highlighted the differences between the bills. Some senators opposed lowering the base fleeing offense from a felony to a gross misdemeanor, citing the seriousness and public-safety risks when someone chooses to flee. Others said there are factual situations—such as a motorist briefly accelerating or making an immediate right turn out of fear—that should not automatically carry a felony record. The Sentencing Guidelines and potential fiscal effects on prison beds were raised; staff said updated fiscal notes were pending.

No vote was taken at the hearing. Authors and stakeholders signaled they will work together to refine language, the tracking-device exemption and the culpable-negligence standard before the committee considers any bill for action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - 02/12/25","oneSentenceSummary","Three Senate proposals to address a rise in fleeing-from-police incidents were presented to the Judiciary Committee on Feb. 12. Proposals differ on punishment tiers, whether low-level fleeing should remain a felony or become a gross misdemeanor, and whether to add a targeted exemption allowing mobile tracking devices on actively fleeing vehicles.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MN, Minnesota","taxId",77817,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335875,"Senate File 59 on reestablishing historic boundary monuments laid on table after testimony about survey errors",483,2257000,2740000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd&start=2257&end=2740","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd/thumbnail_2257000.jpg","/articles/6335875/Minnesota/Senate-File-59-on-reestablishing-historic-boundary-monuments-laid-on-table-after-testimony-about-survey-errors","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335875-962e83f35edcdd5d5cbc49c12734b4c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1776193266&Signature=KStA4lpiBF0JaFKYtaQhM9o8T11P1IfKOiynKNWw0I3G~PS526IsnRl70-UirXck~wRs5jFqHh7XUKoWEdHXi-r~Cc-xXDSnLd3d64CFCd1RalODx2e9BFAQQZYun1TYWvEDtPI2arOp8sW6MQqa4Qmat548hgSWChSRh5~V0YnFWx5ij~3vEaeAxE2mbVvgt51tGdHTxcEr-Q7lb58algha57WmLi~4jDO77UNIQxPI8S8PMV7ZGcJkA~PmYvZdHCYICRZ4NI46Dd1BjvPgLA0~3oBIZTzccePSs6q2TtVfx6QipYr1JC1Q~Yw0IAvq5lBXAPlqkXa6rdt57tQ26A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate File 59, a bill proposing a remedy for property-boundary disputes by reestablishing historic monuments, was presented to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on Feb. 12 and was laid on the table for further work after committee counsel and stakeholders identified legal drafting issues.

Sponsor Senator Green said the measure responds to constituent complaints that modern surveys and GIS mapping have shifted property lines away from monuments set in the 19th and early 20th centuries. \"What this bill is doing is... to have those monuments reestablished and avoid what I think people have been bringing to me, which is to say it's gonna cause a lot of litigation,\" Green said. The sponsor said the intent is to reestablish monuments that have been moved erroneously in recent years, not to disturb long-established monuments.

Alan R. Olsen, a Polk County landowner who testified in person, described his family's property history and the effect of a new survey on lot lines and septic/well locations. Olsen said his family homesteaded the property in 1894 and that his parents purchased the land in 1959; he said a newer survey showed buildings and features on different parcels, creating permit denials and bank loan refusals for a neighbor. \"Why should we have to pay an attorney to straighten this out?\" Olsen asked the committee.

Kevin Dunleavy, representing the Minnesota State Bar Association, told the committee the association had reviewed the proposal and identified drafting problems. Dunleavy cautioned that Minnesota has two different land-title systems—Torrens and abstract—and that text from a Torrens-related statute should not be simply grafted into the abstract system. He pointed counsel to existing abstract-survey statutory language (transcript referenced section 559.16 and 559.23) as a more appropriate location for a fix and warned that GIS and GPS tools are not substitutes for a certified survey.

Committee counsel said the sections of the bill within the committee's jurisdiction were sections two and three and recommended work with the bar and county surveyors to craft language that correctly fits the abstract and Torrens statutory frameworks. Senator Green said he expected to work with the Bar Association and asked for time to revise the bill.

After discussion the committee laid Senate File 59 on the table to allow the sponsor and stakeholders to refine statutory language and to return with revised drafting. Committee members emphasized the goal of avoiding unnecessary litigation while preserving clear remedies for property owners.","Senate File 59, a bill that would provide a process to reestablish historic land monuments and reduce survey-related boundary disputes, was laid on the table after testimony from landowners, a county resident and the Minnesota State Bar Association; authors will work with bar counsel on statutory language.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335880,"New Minnesota Competency Attainment Board describes soft launch, hires and asks for staff funding",762,940000,1702000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd&start=940&end=1702","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd/thumbnail_940000.jpg","/articles/6335880/Minnesota/New-Minnesota-Competency-Attainment-Board-describes-soft-launch-hires-and-asks-for-staff-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335880-f3ca5da64dcf431f203b5caa81a45f03/orig.mp4?Expires=1776193266&Signature=gGee3A4Snr6h~ihkc7aYVW7DilMITRUby6z0ErCyKWouQVkCZEnNG5hMC93DvnL74Gbfp7ok-~3SzDRuoMbGTgJQNAdSs98NzMgZ9QmJQfEaoQ3XbCKUBXIoZe4FGpYpCh8mwThWrOruYLF3jtVX1uFEh4uVEhY4sPqLD28tjmhNXJj1UWh8l7CvqS09TNHF2joKb5aFt9DdlKwZ30MC7vvjpphgY0Evpndeo6WGaGvEPUCLHFg4wt4i1e2Y2atlRMCqywt8O5G8a19h1J07-CgcZWUPRqh2nfOmTdU-k9f-l1lYBAWnvE8qk8ZJI0NNdwERzgGrZT3IxBjjjS~RSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Minnesota Competency Attainment Board (MCAA) told the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on Feb. 12 that its \"soft launch\" has put staff and forensic navigators into the field but the board needs funding to reach its planned staffing levels and stabilize responsiveness statewide.

\"The Minnesota Competency Attainment Board came about through legislation in the 2022 legislative session,\" Program Administrator Kim Larson told the committee. The statute creating the board appears in Minnesota Statutes section 611.56 and amended criminal-procedure rules (Rule 20) were aligned with the new law effective Nov. 1, 2024, Larson said.

Larson described three early goals for the board's soft launch: create agency infrastructure, hire forensic navigators (target was about one per judicial district), and begin providing services in both the metro area and greater Minnesota. \"We have exceeded that goal and have hired 20 forensic navigators as of today,\" Larson said; she said the board had received court orders referring defendants for competency-related services starting April 2024 and that 68 of Minnesota's 87 counties had sent orders to the program as of December 2024.

The board has certified nine competency-attainment programs, Larson said, and is working from an original fiscal note for operating and staffing. The growth plan includes hiring approximately 50 additional forensic navigators by the end of the fiscal year, stabilizing timelines as staffing increases, and clarifying duties and responsibilities with justice partners.

\"We're really just hoping for additional funds so we can meet the original anticipated number of forensic navigators across the state,\" said Ryan Flynn, chair of the Competency Attainment Board and a prosecutor in Ramsey County. Flynn described the legislative history and the operational gap the new board seeks to fill for defendants found incompetent to proceed but not subject to civil commitment.

Representatives from mental-health advocacy groups also testified. \"There are thousands of defendants charged with misdemeanors that are automatically dismissed when the defendant is found incompetent,\" said Ali Abutai, vice chair of the board and senior policy coordinator with NAMI Minnesota; he said that pattern creates a revolving-door problem for people with mental illness and their families and that the board's programs aim to reduce recidivism by providing coordinated services.

Larson said the board's budget request is based on the original fiscal note and includes requests for employee wage adjustments (about 6%), health-insurance premium increases, and a modest operating budget (Larson used a 10% operating-cost estimate). She did not provide a specific additional biennial dollar total during the presentation; Larson said the request reflects the original staffing assumptions in the fiscal note.

Committee members asked for clarifications about program activities. Larson said certified competency-attainment programs combine therapeutic treatment with educational components to help defendants understand court processes, charges, possible outcomes and to support participation in their defense. \"All of the criteria that a judge will use to determine whether someone is competent to participate in their own defense,\" Larson said, are the focus of the programs' educational elements.

No committee action was taken at the conclusion of the presentation; the board's request and staffing plans will proceed through the regular budget review process.","Board leaders told the Senate Judiciary committee the state-created Minnesota Competency Attainment Board has hired staff and forensic navigators, certified programs, and seeks funding to reach full staffing and stabilize timelines for competency services.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335885,"Minnesota Uniform Law Commissioners brief Judiciary committee on role, ask to maintain budget line",689,44000,733000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd&start=44&end=733","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288477-ca96b8be1491616167c68b543dc874fd/thumbnail_44000.jpg","/articles/6335885/Minnesota/Minnesota-Uniform-Law-Commissioners-brief-Judiciary-committee-on-role-ask-to-maintain-budget-line","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335885-1a4061b59d6bf9530db4734141b3ffab/orig.mp4?Expires=1776193266&Signature=X1-W0t-q3SS1HqbWLcIkgQRsEIgaWj0COrydIuA01~iPhv6qI19yn3jHcZAGSqSIyzmKEnnb5qGMhEow3zqEvFBzwUBSP~T4GnJfuxwNLeGo5LxjnEHqzU2HMYMsK2IQKX8-Tcjd71bKAiSKdjoKCcdfnxyrrIV5L3dxMAA7Nxx4-s-p2XT9OKy7Ts4COfH1-Jf~-WJKZUWLHmWtZIzG-DP~s~l0-IEv0HlCkBbrNYP9pEVzKTTNjrBnkK6z~Z6swcpgHtfDSbgRXXJDTUdMhi0CWUNfyms1iMlCcMeMrRYwOcHVkrPGfyN688h3fgSBXMeFCSVqIbCNgYCbgJy6Ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Minnesota Uniform Law Commissioners told the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on Feb. 12 that the group's volunteer drafting work helps states adopt consistent laws and asked the committee to maintain the commission's current budget line.

The commissioners gave a short overview of the Uniform Law Commission and its process and noted the group was requesting the same-level budget the governor recommended: $115,000 per year ($230,000 per biennium). \"The Uniform Law Commission is an over 125-year-old nonprofit organization,\" Commissioner Kim Lowe said. She described the commission's multi-year study and drafting process that produces uniform acts that states may adopt.

Commissioner Michelle Timmons, who presented the budget details, said most of the state's request covers two cost centers: annual dues to the national commission (budgeted at $73,620 in year one and $77,300 in year two) and travel reimbursements for Minnesota commissioners to attend the annual meeting. The commissioners must attend the annual meeting to participate in drafting and to vote on proposed acts, Timmons said.

Timmons told the committee that Minnesota's per-state dues are based on population; larger states pay more. She said the commission expected a stable biennial request because Minnesota temporarily reduced reimbursed travel when a longtime commissioner signaled he would not travel in the upcoming biennium. \"Because of that expected decrease in travel cost, we are able to manage with a same-level budget request,\" Timmons said.

Committee members asked about commissioner appointments and vacancies. Commissioners said Minnesota currently had an open appointed seat and a separate count of commissioners who hold life-member status based on prior long service; when a commissioner becomes a life member, the appointed seat they previously occupied opens for a new gubernatorial or judicial appointment.

Committee members voiced bipartisan support for the request and for the Uniform Law Commission's contributions; no committee action was taken at the hearing.

The commissioners—who serve as unpaid volunteers—asked that the existing budget line remain at the current level so Minnesota can continue its participation in national drafting and in-person annual meetings.

The committee did not vote on the request during the Feb. 12 session; the presentation was recorded for the committee's consideration in the budget process.","Minnesota Uniform Law Commissioners told the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on Feb. 12 that their volunteer drafting work supports uniform state laws and asked the committee to maintain the current biennial budget line covering dues and travel.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Authors, law enforcement and sheriffs push different approaches to address rising vehicle fleeing; mobile-tracker exemption debated

Senate File 59 on reestablishing historic boundary monuments laid on table after testimony about survey errors

New Minnesota Competency Attainment Board describes soft launch, hires and asks for staff funding

Minnesota Uniform Law Commissioners brief Judiciary committee on role, ask to maintain budget line