as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/19/2024 02:11pm
A bill for an act
relating to public safety; expanding fourth-degree assault crime related to transit
operators to include transportation network company drivers; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 609.2231, subdivision 11.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 609.2231, subdivision 11, is
amended to read:
(a) A person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor if (1) the
person assaults a transit operator, or intentionally throws or otherwise transfers bodily fluids
onto a transit operator; and (2) the transit operator is acting in the course of the operator's
duties and is operating a transit vehicle, aboard a transit vehicle, or otherwise responsible
for a transit vehicle. A person convicted under this paragraph may be sentenced to
imprisonment for not more than 364 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000,
or both.
(b) For the purposes of this subdivision, "transit operator" means a driver or operator of
a transit vehicle that is used to provide any of the following services:
(1) public transit, as defined in section 174.22, subdivision 7;
(2) light rail transit service;
(3) special transportation service under section 473.386, whether provided by the
Metropolitan Council or by other providers under contract with the council; deleted text begin or
deleted text end
(4) commuter rail servicenew text begin ; or
new text end
new text begin (5) transportation in a personal vehicle through a transportation network company under
section 65B.472, subdivision 1, paragraph (e)new text end .
new text begin
This section is effective August 1, 2024, and applies to crimes
committed on or after that date.
new text end