Committee hears restitution bill that would affect MRRA supervision abatement; DOC urges careful language on ability to pay
Loading...
Summary
House File 3496, addressing whether restitution payments should affect supervision abatement under MRRA, was laid over after DOC and members discussed collection practices, ability‑to‑pay concerns, and the need to refine language to avoid inequitable outcomes.
ST. PAUL — Lawmakers and Department of Corrections officials discussed House File 3496 on Feb. 25, a bill that would incorporate restitution payments into supervision abatement decisions under the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act (MRRA).
Representative Harder introduced the bill, citing a 2026 MRRA implementation report and stakeholder feedback that restitution obligations be considered when deciding supervision abatement. Deputy Commissioner Safia Khan of the Department of Corrections told the committee that while supervision credits under MRRA can shorten active supervision, restitution obligations remain and individuals can be returned to active supervision for noncompliance.
Khan said stakeholders raised concerns that requiring full restitution as an eligibility condition could create inequities for people without the financial means to pay. "This bill starts a very important conversation," she said, and the DOC offered to work with the bill author and victim coalitions to refine the language to balance accountability and ability to pay.
Committee members asked whether restitution is set as part of plea agreements, how restitution is collected during incarceration and on release, and whether consistent judicial practices exist for assessing ability to pay. DOC officials described standard collection practices while incarcerated (for example, 10% of incoming funds applied toward court‑ordered payments) and said release planning includes payment plans as part of supervision.
Members voiced support for centering victims but warned against creating a "have and have not" system where only those who can pay get the benefit of abatement. Representative Harder thanked members for the questions and said the bill would continue to be refined; the committee laid the bill over for further work.
