HF 1908

as introduced - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to crimes; modifying requirements for 
  1.3             reporting gunshot wounds; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.4             2000, sections 626.52, subdivision 2; and 626.53. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 626.52, 
  1.7   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 2.  [HEALTH PROFESSIONALS REQUIRED TO REPORT.] A 
  1.9   health professional shall immediately report, as provided under 
  1.10  section 626.53, to the local police department or county sheriff 
  1.11  and the commissioner of health all bullet wounds, gunshot 
  1.12  wounds, powder burns, or any other injury arising from, or 
  1.13  caused by the discharge of any gun, pistol, or any other 
  1.14  firearm, which wound the health professional is called upon to 
  1.15  treat, dress, or bandage.  
  1.16     A health professional shall report to the proper police 
  1.17  authorities any wound that the reporter has reasonable cause to 
  1.18  believe has been inflicted on a perpetrator of a crime by a 
  1.19  dangerous weapon other than a firearm as defined under section 
  1.20  609.02, subdivision 6. 
  1.21     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 626.53, is 
  1.22  amended to read: 
  1.23     626.53 [REPORT BY TELEPHONE AND LETTER.] 
  1.24     Subdivision 1.  [REPORTS TO SHERIFFS AND POLICE CHIEFS.] 
  1.25  The report required by section 626.52, subdivision 2, shall be 
  2.1   made forthwith by telephone or in person, and shall be promptly 
  2.2   supplemented by letter, enclosed in a securely sealed, postpaid 
  2.3   envelope, addressed to the sheriff of the county in which the 
  2.4   wound is examined, dressed, or otherwise treated; except that, 
  2.5   if the place in which the patient is treated for such injury or 
  2.6   the patient's wound dressed or bandaged be in a city of the 
  2.7   first, second, or third class, such report shall be made and 
  2.8   transmitted as herein provided to the chief of police of such 
  2.9   city instead of the sheriff.  Except as otherwise provided in 
  2.10  subdivision 2, the office of any such sheriff and of any such 
  2.11  chief of police shall keep the report as a confidential 
  2.12  communication and shall not disclose the name of the person 
  2.13  making the same, and the party making the report shall not by 
  2.14  reason thereof be subpoenaed, examined, or forced to testify in 
  2.15  court as a consequence of having made such a report.  
  2.16     Subd. 2.  [REPORTS TO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.] Upon receiving 
  2.17  a report of a wound caused by or arising from the discharge of a 
  2.18  firearm, the sheriff or chief of police shall forward the 
  2.19  information contained in the report The health professional 
  2.20  shall promptly supplement the report to the sheriff or chief of 
  2.21  police under subdivision 1 with a report to the commissioner of 
  2.22  health on a form provided by the commissioner.  The commissioner 
  2.23  of health shall keep the report as a confidential communication, 
  2.24  as provided under subdivision 1.  The commissioner shall 
  2.25  maintain a statewide, computerized record system containing 
  2.26  summary data, as defined in section 13.02, on information 
  2.27  received under this subdivision.