1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; corrections; requiring the commissioner of corrections 
1.3 	to study the use of solitary confinement and develop and implement a plan to 
1.4 	limit the use of solitary confinement.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. SOLITARY CONFINEMENT STUDY AND REPORT.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Policy statement. Scientific research of brain development has 
1.8 	established that solitary confinement of inmates permanently diminishes inmate brain 
1.9 	capacity. The adverse impact of solitary confinement on juvenile brain development is 
1.10 	particularly acute. It is the policy of this state that the use of solitary confinement should 
1.11 	be strictly limited and used only when less restrictive options have been exhausted and 
1.12 	proven to be ineffective at modifying inmate behavior.
1.13 		Subd. 2.Study and plan. The commissioner of corrections shall study the most 
1.14 	recent research on the impact of solitary confinement on brain development. Based on 
1.15 	the commissioner's study and consistent with the policy set forth in subdivision 1, the 
1.16 	commissioner must establish and implement, by January 1, 2017, a plan to strictly limit 
1.17 	the use of solitary confinement in this state including a specific plan to eliminate the use of 
1.18 	solitary confinement of juveniles. As part of the plan, the commissioner must limit the 
1.19 	duration of and circumstances that warrant solitary confinement.
1.20 		Subd. 3.Report. By December 15, 2017, the commissioner shall prepare and 
1.21 	submit to the legislature a report describing the department's revised guidelines for the use 
1.22 	of solitary confinement including a detailed explanation of each circumstance for which the 
1.23 	use of solitary confinement is authorized. The report shall include data on how the revised 
1.24 	solitary confinement use policy has affected the use of solitary confinement in this state.