1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to domestic abuse; authorizing continuance of 
  1.3             the joint domestic abuse prosecution unit in Ramsey 
  1.4             county; appropriating money.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [JOINT DOMESTIC ABUSE PROSECUTION UNIT.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [CONTINUATION OF PILOT PROJECT.] The Ramsey 
  1.8   county attorney's office and the St. Paul city attorney's office 
  1.9   shall continue the joint domestic abuse prosecution unit pilot 
  1.10  project established by the legislature under Laws 2000, chapters 
  1.11  471, section 6; and 488, article 6, section 10.  The 
  1.12  appropriation authorized under section 2 is needed to continue 
  1.13  the pilot project beyond its first year of operation and allow a 
  1.14  meaningful evaluation that will benefit other jurisdictions in 
  1.15  Minnesota.  The unit has authority to prosecute misdemeanors, 
  1.16  gross misdemeanors, and felonies.  The unit shall also 
  1.17  coordinate efforts with child protection attorneys.  The unit 
  1.18  may include four cross-deputized assistant city attorneys and 
  1.19  assistant county attorneys and a police investigator.  A 
  1.20  victim/witness advocate, a law clerk, a paralegal, and a 
  1.21  secretary may provide support.  
  1.22     Subd. 2.  [GOALS.] The goals of this pilot project are to: 
  1.23     (1) recognize children as both victims and witnesses in 
  1.24  domestic abuse situations; 
  1.25     (2) recognize and respect the interests of children in the 
  2.1   prosecution of domestic abuse; and 
  2.2      (3) reduce the exposure to domestic violence for both adult 
  2.3   and child victims. 
  2.4      Subd. 3.  [REPORT.] The Ramsey county attorney's office and 
  2.5   the St. Paul city attorney's office shall report to the chairs 
  2.6   and ranking minority members of the senate and house committees 
  2.7   and divisions having jurisdiction over criminal justice policy 
  2.8   and funding on the pilot project.  The report may include the 
  2.9   number and types of cases referred, the number of cases charged, 
  2.10  the outcome of cases, and other relevant outcome measures.  The 
  2.11  report is due to the legislature by January 15, 2003. 
  2.12     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.13     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.14  commissioner of public safety for a grant to the Ramsey county 
  2.15  attorney's office to continue funding the joint domestic abuse 
  2.16  prosecution unit described in section 1.  This appropriation is 
  2.17  available until June 30, 2003.