1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; providing for restorative justice-based diversion 
1.3 	programs; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 609.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. [609.092] USE OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE DIVERSION 
1.6 	PROGRAMS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Nonfelonies; mandatory referral to restorative justice program.
 1.8 	The court shall ensure that a person charged with or petitioned for a petty misdemeanor, 
1.9 	misdemeanor, or gross misdemeanor offense receives contact information for a local 
1.10 	restorative justice program if one exists. If a toll-free telephone number has been 
1.11 	established under section 2, the court shall ensure that the number is provided to the 
1.12 	person. The person may contact the local restorative justice program or use the toll-free 
1.13 	telephone number to contact a restorative justice program. A restorative justice program 
1.14 	contacted under this subdivision shall evaluate whether the person is a suitable candidate 
1.15 	for restorative justice. If this is the case, the program shall contact the prosecutor and seek 
1.16 	the prosecutor's approval to place the person in a restorative justice diversion program 
1.17 	under subdivision 2.
1.18 		Subd. 2.Restorative justice diversion program described. A person referred to a 
1.19 	restorative justice diversion program under subdivision 1 shall work with a representative 
1.20 	from the program to arrange an appropriate outcome for the matter using restorative 
1.21 	justice concepts. The representative shall involve the victim of the offense in the 
1.22 	proceedings. If the victim is unwilling or unable to proceed, or if there is no identifiable 
1.23 	victim, the representative shall ensure that someone serves as a stand in for the victim. 
2.1 	The representative and person, along with other participants, shall agree in writing to an 
2.2 	appropriate sanction for the person. 
2.3 		Subd. 3.Considered as guilty plea. A person's agreement to participate under this 
2.4 	section is considered a guilty plea to the offense.
2.5 		Subd. 4.Failure to comply. If the person fails to comply with the settlement 
2.6 	agreement, the person shall be referred back to the court for further proceedings.
2.7 		Subd. 5.Dismissal of charge. Upon the successful completion by a person of 
2.8 	the sanctions agreed to in the settlement agreement, the restorative justice program 
2.9 	representative shall notify the court and the court shall dismiss the charge against the 
2.10 	person.

2.11 	Sec. 2. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS; COLLABORATION, 
2.12 	TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER.
 2.13 	Restorative justice programs are requested to collaborate to fully implement section 
2.14 	1 and to establish a toll-free telephone number to assist persons charged with nonfelony 
2.15 	offenses to locate a suitable restorative justice program.