SF 4065

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/03/2026 09:31 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to judiciary; providing security for the chief justice; appropriating money;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299D.03, subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299D.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Members, powers, and duties.

(a) The commissioner is hereby authorized
to employ and designate a chief supervisor, a chief assistant supervisor, and such assistant
supervisors, sergeants and officers as are provided by law, who shall comprise the Minnesota
State Patrol.

(b) The members of the Minnesota State Patrol shall have the power and authority:

(1) as peace officers to enforce the provisions of the law relating to the protection of
and use of trunk highways;

(2) at all times to direct all traffic on trunk highways in conformance with law, and in
the event of a fire or other emergency, or to expedite traffic or to insure safety, to direct
traffic on other roads as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of law;

(3) to serve search warrants related to criminal motor vehicle and traffic violations and
arrest warrants, and legal documents anywhere in the state;

(4) to serve orders of the commissioner of public safety or the commissioner's duly
authorized agents issued under the provisions of the Driver's License Law, the Safety
Responsibility Act, or relating to authorized brake- and light-testing stations, anywhere in
the state and to take possession of any license, permit, or certificate ordered to be surrendered;

(5) to inspect official brake and light adjusting stations;

(6) to make appearances anywhere within the state for the purpose of conducting traffic
safety educational programs and school bus clinics;

(7) to exercise upon all trunk highways the same powers with respect to the enforcement
of laws relating to crimes, as sheriffs and police officers;

(8) to cooperate, under instructions and rules of the commissioner of public safety, with
all sheriffs and other police officers anywhere in the state, provided that said employees
shall have no power or authority in connection with strikes or industrial disputes;

(9) to assist and aid any peace officer whose life or safety is in jeopardy;

(10) as peace officers to provide security and protection to the governor, governor elect,
either or both houses of the legislature, and state buildings or property in the manner and
to the extent determined to be necessary after consultation with the governor, or a designee.
Pursuant to this clause, members of the State Patrol, acting as peace officers have the same
powers with respect to the enforcement of laws relating to crimes, as sheriffs and police
officers have within their respective jurisdictions;

(11) to inspect school buses anywhere in the state for the purposes of determining
compliance with vehicle equipment, pollution control, and registration requirements;

(12) as peace officers to make arrests for public offenses committed in their presence
anywhere within the state. Persons arrested for violations other than traffic violations shall
be referred forthwith to the appropriate local law enforcement agency for further investigation
or disposition; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(13) to enforce the North American uniform out-of-service criteria and issue
out-of-service orders, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 383.5 deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ;
and
new text end

new text begin (14) as peace officers to provide security and protection to the chief justice in the manner
and to the extent determined to be necessary after consultation with the chief justice or a
designee. Pursuant to this clause, members of the State Patrol acting as peace officers have
the same powers with respect to the enforcement of laws relating to crimes as sheriffs and
police officers have within their respective jurisdictions.
new text end

(c) After consultation with the governor or a designee, the commissioner may require
the State Patrol to provide security and protection to supreme court justices, legislators, and
constitutional officers other than the governor, for a limited period and within the limits of
existing resources, in response to a credible threat on the individual's life or safety.

(d) The state may contract for State Patrol members to render the services described in
this section in excess of their regularly scheduled duty hours and patrol members rendering
such services shall be compensated in such amounts, manner and under such conditions as
the agreement provides.

(e) Employees thus employed and designated shall subscribe an oath.

Sec. 2. new text begin SUPREME COURT APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin $101,000 in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the supreme court
to provide security for the chief justice. This appropriation is added to the base beginning
in fiscal year 2028.
new text end