Committee advances bill to extend personal-data protections to peace and correctional officers

Representative Duran presented House File 15 67 to expand protections for personal data of licensed peace officers and local correctional officers. The bill mirrors protections previously adopted for judicial officers and seeks to reduce doxxing, swatting and other threats.

Representative Duran said the proposal responds to threats and harassment experienced by officers and their families. "This bill is a step towards protecting those who protect us," he said in opening remarks.

Chief Bridal Podani (Podany), chief of police and Director of Public Safety for the City of Blaine, described personal threats tied to internet research on officers and testified the proposed protections would reduce risk to officers and their families.

Lieutenant Chris Thompson, jail administrator for Cass County, urged the committee to include civilian correctional staff, probation officers and parole agents in the protections, arguing they face similar, prolonged risk.

Attorney Christopher W. Maddell described a case in which a trooper and his family were doxxed online and advised them to leave their home; he urged passage and called the bill "about as easy of a lift as you get." Sheriff Gordon Ramsay, representing the Minnesota Sheriffs Association, also supported the bill and described incidents in which officers and families were threatened.

House research and staff explained the D3 amendment duplicates provisions modeled on existing judicial-officer protections and applies them to licensed peace officers and current correctional personnel; criminal and civil penalty sections were aligned with the existing judicial-officer statute with adjustments for analogous penalty levels.

The D3 amendment carried by voice vote. Representative Duran renewed his motion and the committee voted to re-refer House File 15 67, as amended, to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee.