HF 3368

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/08/2018 05:55pm

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; prohibiting the use of life imprisonment without the
possibility of release sentences for juvenile offenders; complying with United
States Supreme Court decisions; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 631.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [631.53] SENTENCING JUVENILES.
new text end

new text begin (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person shall not be sentenced to life
imprisonment without the possibility of release for any offense if at the time of the
commission of the offense the person was younger than 18 years of age. The maximum
punishment that the court may impose on a person for any offense that was committed when
that person was younger than 18 years of age is life imprisonment with the possibility of
release after 25 years.
new text end

new text begin (b) When sentencing a person who was younger than 18 years of age at the time of an
offense that otherwise would require the court to impose a sentence of life imprisonment
without the possibility of release or life imprisonment with the possibility of release after
more than 25 years, the court shall impose a sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility
of release after 25 years.
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 a defendant sentenced on or after that date for a crime or crimes that were
committed while the defendant was younger than 18 years of age.
new text end