HF 124

1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/06/2025 04:59 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; allowing for the acceptance of certain gifts related to a
line of duty death of a public safety officer; authorizing local government
expenditure for public safety officer killed in the line of duty; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2024, section 471.198; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 299A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [299A.473] CERTAIN GIFTS ALLOWED AFTER OFFICER KILLED
IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Gift" means money, real or personal property, a plaque, or a service that is given
and received without the giver receiving consideration of equal or greater value in return.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Killed in the line of duty" has the meaning given in section 299A.41, subdivision
3.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Plaque" means a decorative item with an inscription recognizing an individual for
an accomplishment.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Political subdivision" means a county, home rule charter or statutory city, town, or
any other political subdivision of the state.
new text end

new text begin (f) "Public safety officer" has the meaning given in section 299A.41, subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Gifts; conditions. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding sections 10A.071 and 471.895, a gift may
be given by any person to one or more public safety officers if all of the following criteria
are met:
new text end

new text begin (1) a public safety officer employed by the same state agency or political subdivision
as the gift recipient was killed in the line of duty;
new text end

new text begin (2) the gift is given during the consecutive 24-month period beginning on the date of
death of the public safety officer killed in the line of duty;
new text end

new text begin (3) the gift honors, commemorates, or provides team morale and cohesion services to
the gift recipient; and
new text end

new text begin (4) the gift is in compliance with applicable gift policies, if the state agency or political
subdivision has adopted such policies under subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin State agency or political subdivision as recipient. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding any law
or rule to the contrary, a state agency or political subdivision may receive a gift that meets
the criteria of subdivision 2 on behalf of one or more public safety officers employed by
the state agency or political subdivision. The gift must be distributed by the state agency or
political subdivision to the intended public safety officer recipients:
new text end

new text begin (1) within one year of the receipt of the gift; and
new text end

new text begin (2) in compliance with applicable gift policies, if the state agency or political subdivision
has adopted such policies under subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Gift policies. new text end

new text begin A state agency or political subdivision may adopt policies with
additional requirements and restrictions for gifts to public safety officers employed by the
state agency or political subdivision.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment and
applies to gifts given on or after that date.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 471.198, is amended to read:

471.198 EXPENDITURES; NATIONAL NIGHT OUT; LAW ENFORCEMENT
COMMUNITY EVENTS new text begin ; FALLEN OFFICERS new text end .

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Local government" means a home rule charter or statutory city, town, or county.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Qualified individual" means an individual with one of the following relationships
to a local government expending money under this section:
new text end

new text begin (1) an employee of the local government;
new text end

new text begin (2) an immediate family member of an employee of the local government; or
new text end

new text begin (3) an immediate family member of a fallen officer who was employed by the local
government.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Authorized expenditures. new text end

(a) deleted text begin Any home rule charter or statutory city or any
town, county, or school district deleted text end new text begin A local government new text end may spend money for new text begin the following
purposes:
new text end

new text begin (1) new text end National Night Out events held in the jurisdiction of the local government spending
the money deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ;
new text end

deleted text begin (b) Any home rule charter or statutory city or any town, county, or school district may
spend money for deleted text end new text begin (2) new text end any event or purpose that the governing body new text begin of the local government new text end
determines will foster positive relationships between law enforcement and the community deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ;
new text end

new text begin (3) funding a funeral or memorial for a public safety officer killed in the line of duty;
and
new text end

new text begin (4) funding travel and participation for qualified individuals in national memorial events
for fallen public safety officers occurring within 24 months of a line-of-duty death of an
officer or employee of the local government.
new text end

new text begin (b) A school district is authorized to spend money for the purposes of paragraph (a),
clauses (1) and (2).
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Contributions solicitation. new text end

deleted text begin (c) deleted text end Notwithstanding any law or ordinance to the
contrary, any deleted text begin home rule charter or statutory city, or any town, county, deleted text end new text begin local government new text end or
school district may, by resolution, authorize officials and staff to solicit contributions for
the purposes authorized in deleted text begin paragraphs (a) and (b) deleted text end new text begin subdivision 2 new text end .

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end