1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; modifying certain provisions relating to courts, public 
1.3 	safety, firefighters, corrections, crime, disaster assistance, and controlled substances; 
1.4 	requesting reports; providing for penalties; appropriating money for public safety, 
1.5 	courts, corrections, Guardian Ad Litem Board, Uniform Laws Commission, Board 
1.6 	on Judicial Standards, Board of Public Defense, Sentencing Guidelines, Peace 
1.7 	Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board, Private Detective Board, and Human 
1.8 	Rights; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, sections 13.02, subdivision 17; 271.06, 
1.9 	subdivision 6; 271.21, subdivision 2; 299A.55, subdivisions 2, 4; 364.01; 504B.173, 
1.10 	subdivisions 1, 3; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 
1.11 	271; 364.
1.12 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.13 	ARTICLE 1
1.14 	APPROPRIATIONS

1.15	Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS.
 	
1.16 	The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies 
1.17 	and for the purposes specified in this article. The appropriations are from the general fund, 
1.18 	or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose. 
1.19 	The figures "2018" and "2019" used in this article mean that the appropriations listed under 
1.20 	them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, or June 30, 2019, respectively. 
1.21 	"The first year" is fiscal year 2018. "The second year" is fiscal year 2019. "The biennium" 
1.22 	is fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, are 
1.23 	effective the day following final enactment.

1.24				APPROPRIATIONS
	
1.25				Available for the Year
	
1.26				Ending June 30
	
1.27			2017
		2018
		2019

2.1	Sec. 2. SUPREME COURT

2.2	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	54,166,000
	$
	55,951,000
	
2.3 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
2.4 	purpose are specified in the following 
2.5 	subdivisions.

2.6	Subd. 2.Supreme Court Operations
 		39,049,000
		40,834,000
	
2.7 	Information Security and Risk 
2.8 	Management
2.9 	$984,000 each year is for an information 
2.10 	security and risk management program.

2.11	Subd. 3.Civil Legal Services
 		15,117,000
		15,117,000
	
2.12 	Legal Services to Low-Income Clients in 
2.13 	Family Law Matters
2.14 	$948,000 each year is to improve the access 
2.15 	of low-income clients to legal representation 
2.16 	in family law matters. This appropriation must 
2.17 	be distributed under Minnesota Statutes, 
2.18 	section 480.242, to the qualified legal services 
2.19 	program described in Minnesota Statutes, 
2.20 	section 480.242, subdivision 2, paragraph (a). 
2.21 	Any unencumbered balance remaining in the 
2.22 	first year does not cancel and is available in 
2.23 	the second year.

2.24	Sec. 3. COURT OF APPEALS
 	$
	12,464,000
	$
	12,877,000

2.25	Sec. 4. DISTRICT COURTS
 	$
	294,500,000
	$
	304,662,000

2.26	Subdivision 1.Treatment Courts Stability
 					
2.27 	$1,689,000 each year is for treatment courts 
2.28 	stability.

3.1	Subd. 2.New Trial Judges
 					
3.2 	$884,000 the first year and $818,000 the 
3.3 	second year are for two new trial court judge 
3.4 	units.

3.5	Sec. 5. GUARDIAN AD LITEM BOARD
 	$
	17,651,000
	$
	18,417,000
	
3.6 	Compliance Positions
3.7 	$734,000 the first year and $767,000 the 
3.8 	second year are for ten new positions to 
3.9 	maintain compliance with federal and state 
3.10 	mandates.

3.11	Sec. 6. TAX COURT
 	$
	2,008,000
	$
	1,820,000
	
3.12 	Base Appropriation
3.13 	The base appropriation for the Tax Court shall 
3.14 	be $1,866,000 in fiscal year 2020 and 
3.15 	$1,866,000 in fiscal year 2021.

3.16	Sec. 7. UNIFORM LAWS COMMISSION
 	$
	93,000
	$
	93,000

3.17	Sec. 8. BOARD ON JUDICIAL STANDARDS
 	$
	531,000
	$
	496,000

3.18	Subdivision 1.Severance Costs
 					
3.19 	$45,000 the first year is for anticipated 
3.20 	severance costs for the executive secretary's 
3.21 	retirement. This is a onetime appropriation.

3.22	Subd. 2.Major Disciplinary Actions
 					
3.23 	$125,000 each year is for special investigative 
3.24 	and hearing costs for major disciplinary 
3.25 	actions undertaken by the board. This 
3.26 	appropriation does not cancel. Any 
3.27 	unencumbered and unspent balances remain 
3.28 	available for these expenditures until June 30, 
3.29 	2021.

4.1	Sec. 9. BOARD OF PUBLIC DEFENSE
 	$
	89,162,000
	$
	95,229,000

4.2	Sec. 10. SENTENCING GUIDELINES
 	$
	658,000
	$
	675,000

4.3	Sec. 11. PUBLIC SAFETY

4.4	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	212,928,000
	$
	194,237,000

4.5	Appropriations by Fund
	
4.6		2018
	2019
	
4.7	General
	122,007,000
	103,097,000
	
4.8	Special Revenue
	11,185,000
	11,325,000
	
4.94.10
	State Government 
Special Revenue
	103,000
	103,000
	
4.11	Environmental
	72,000
	72,000
	
4.12	Trunk Highway
	2,374,000
	2,419,000
	
4.13	911 Fund
	77,187,000
	77,221,000
	
4.14 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
4.15 	purpose are specified in the following 
4.16 	subdivisions.

4.17	Subd. 2.Emergency Management
 		23,565,000
		3,632,000

4.18	Appropriations by Fund
	
4.19	General
	22,643,000
	2,710,000
	
4.20	Environmental
	72,000
	72,000
	
4.21
4.22	Special Revenue 
Fund
	850,000
	850,000

4.23	(a) Hazmat and Chemical Assessment Teams
					
4.24 	$850,000 the first year and $850,000 the 
4.25 	second year are from the fire safety account 
4.26 	in the special revenue fund. These amounts 
4.27 	must be used to fund the hazardous materials 
4.28 	and chemical assessment teams. Of this 
4.29 	amount, $100,000 the first year is for cases 
4.30 	for which there is no identified responsible 
4.31 	party. $100,000 each year is for an increase 
4.32 	from the general fund to reimburse local 
4.33 	governments for bomb squad services.
4.34 	(b) Disaster Assistance Account
5.1 	$20,000,000 the first year is from the general 
5.2 	fund for transfer to the disaster assistance 
5.3 	contingency account in Minnesota Statutes, 
5.4 	section 12.221.

5.5	Subd. 3.Criminal Apprehension
 		59,648,000
		60,593,000

5.6	Appropriations by Fund
	
5.7	General
	57,267,000
	58,167,000
	
5.8
5.9	State Government 
Special Revenue
	7,000
	7,000
	
5.10	Trunk Highway
	2,374,000
	2,419,000

5.11	(a) DWI Lab Analysis; Trunk Highway Fund
					
5.12 	Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 
5.13 	161.20, subdivision 3, $2,374,000 the first 
5.14 	year and $2,419,000 the second year are from 
5.15 	the trunk highway fund for laboratory analysis 
5.16 	related to driving-while-impaired cases.

5.17	(b) Predatory Registration System
					
5.18 	$2,100,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the 
5.19 	second year are from the general fund to build 
5.20 	the predatory registration system. These 
5.21 	appropriations are available until June 30, 
5.22 	2020. The base for fiscal year 2020 and fiscal 
5.23 	year 2021 is $400,000 per year to maintain 
5.24 	the system.

5.25	(c) BCA Investment Initiative
					
5.26 	$1,980,000 each year is from the general fund:
5.27 	(1) for an increase to the criminal information 
5.28 	and operations section;
5.29 	(2) for additional agents to assist in complex 
5.30 	narcotics and homicide investigations;
5.31 	(3) for additional forensic scientists;
5.32 	(4) for maintenance of the criminal history 
5.33 	system; and
6.1 	(5) for additional staff in the drug chemistry 
6.2 	lab.

6.3	(d) Livescan Replacement
					
6.4 	$325,000 each year is from the general fund 
6.5 	to replace electronic fingerprint capture 
6.6 	equipment in criminal justice agencies around 
6.7 	the state. The equipment is to be used to 
6.8 	automatically submit the fingerprints to the 
6.9 	bureau for identification of the person and 
6.10 	processing.

6.11	(e) Base Appropriation
					
6.12 	The base appropriation from the general fund 
6.13 	for criminal apprehension is $56,567,000 in 
6.14 	fiscal year 2020 and $56,567,000 in fiscal year 
6.15 	2021.

6.16	Subd. 4.Fire Marshal
 		9,577,000
		9,711,000

6.17	Appropriations by Fund
	
6.18	Special Revenue
	9,577,000
	9,711,000
	
6.19 	The special revenue fund appropriation is from 
6.20 	the fire safety account in the special revenue 
6.21 	fund and is for activities under Minnesota 
6.22 	Statutes, section 299F.012.
6.23 	(a) Task Force 1
6.24 	$500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
6.25 	second year are for an increase to Minnesota 
6.26 	Task Force 1.
6.27 	(b) Air Rescue
6.28 	$190,000 each year is to fund the Minnesota 
6.29 	Air Rescue Team.
6.30 	(c) Unappropriated Revenue
6.31 	Any additional unappropriated money 
6.32 	collected in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated 
7.1 	to the commissioner of public safety for the 
7.2 	purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 
7.3 	299F.012. The commissioner may transfer 
7.4 	appropriations and base amounts between 
7.5 	activities in this subdivision.

7.6	Subd. 5.Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement
 		2,787,000
		2,851,000

7.7	Appropriations by Fund
	
7.8	General
	2,029,000
	2,087,000
	
7.9	Special Revenue
	758,000
	764,000
	
7.10 	$688,000 the first year and $694,000 the 
7.11 	second year are from the alcohol enforcement 
7.12 	account in the special revenue fund. Of this 
7.13 	appropriation, $500,000 each year shall be 
7.14 	transferred to the general fund.
7.15 	$70,000 each year is from the lawful gambling 
7.16 	regulation account in the special revenue fund.

7.17	Field Agents and Alcohol Educator
					
7.18 	$269,000 each year is from the general fund 
7.19 	for field agents and an alcohol educator.

7.20	Subd. 6.Office of Justice Programs
 		40,164,000
		40,229,000

7.21	Appropriations by Fund
	
7.22	General
	40,068,000
	40,133,000
	
7.23
7.24	State Government 
Special Revenue
	96,000
	96,000

7.25	(a) OJP Administration Costs
					
7.26 	Up to 2.5 percent of the grant funds 
7.27 	appropriated in this subdivision may be used 
7.28 	by the commissioner to administer the grant 
7.29 	program.

7.30	(b) Violent Crime Enforcement
					
7.31 	$1,000,000 each year is from the general fund 
7.32 	for additional grants for Statewide Violent 
7.33 	Crime Enforcement Teams.

7.34	Subd. 7.Emergency Communication Networks
 		77,187,000
		77,221,000
	
8.1 	This appropriation is from the state 
8.2 	government special revenue fund for 911 
8.3 	emergency telecommunications services.
8.4 	This appropriation includes funds for 
8.5 	information technology project services and 
8.6 	support subject to the provisions of Minnesota 
8.7 	Statutes, section 16E.0466. Any ongoing 
8.8 	information technology costs will be 
8.9 	incorporated into the service level agreement 
8.10 	and will be paid to the Office of MN.IT 
8.11 	Services by the Department of Public Safety 
8.12 	under the rates and mechanism specified in 
8.13 	that agreement.

8.14	(a) Public Safety Answering Points
					
8.15 	$13,664,000 each year is to be distributed as 
8.16 	provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 
8.17 	403.113, subdivision 2.

8.18	(b) Medical Resource Communication Centers
					
8.19 	$683,000 each year is for grants to the 
8.20 	Minnesota Emergency Medical Services 
8.21 	Regulatory Board for the Metro East and 
8.22 	Metro West Medical Resource 
8.23 	Communication Centers that were in operation 
8.24 	before January 1, 2000.

8.25	(c) ARMER Debt Service
					
8.26 	$23,261,000 each year is to the commissioner 
8.27 	of management and budget to pay debt service 
8.28 	on revenue bonds issued under Minnesota 
8.29 	Statutes, section 403.275.
8.30 	Any portion of this appropriation not needed 
8.31 	to pay debt service in a fiscal year may be used 
8.32 	by the commissioner of public safety to pay 
8.33 	cash for any of the capital improvements for 
8.34 	which bond proceeds were appropriated by 
9.1 	Laws 2005, chapter 136, article 1, section 9, 
9.2 	subdivision 8; or Laws 2007, chapter 54, 
9.3 	article 1, section 10, subdivision 8.
9.4 	(d) ARMER State Backbone Operating 
9.5 	Costs
9.6 	$9,650,000 each year is to the commissioner 
9.7 	of transportation for costs of maintaining and 
9.8 	operating the statewide radio system 
9.9 	backbone.
9.10 	(e) ARMER Improvements
9.11 	$1,000,000 each year is to the Statewide Radio 
9.12 	Board for improvements to those elements of 
9.13 	the statewide public safety radio and 
9.14 	communication system that support mutual 
9.15 	aid communications and emergency medical 
9.16 	services or provide interim enhancement of 
9.17 	public safety communication interoperability 
9.18 	in those areas of the state where the statewide 
9.19 	public safety radio and communication system 
9.20 	is not yet implemented, and grants to local 
9.21 	units of government to further the strategic 
9.22 	goals set forth by the statewide 
9.23 	Communications Board strategic plan.

9.24
9.25	Sec. 12. PEACE OFFICER STANDARDS AND 
TRAINING (POST) BOARD

9.26	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	9,144,000
	$
	9,156,000

9.27	Appropriations by Fund
	
9.28		2018
	2019
	
9.29	General
	5,000,000
	5,000,000
	
9.30	Special Revenue
	4,144,000
	4,156,000
	
9.31 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
9.32 	purpose are specified in the following 
9.33 	subdivisions.

10.1	Subd. 2.Excess Amounts Transferred
 					
10.2 	The special revenue fund appropriation is from 
10.3 	the peace officer training account. Any new 
10.4 	receipts credited to that account in the first 
10.5 	year in excess of $4,144,000 must be 
10.6 	transferred and credited to the general fund. 
10.7 	Any new receipts credited to that account in 
10.8 	the second year in excess of $4,156,000 must 
10.9 	be transferred and credited to the general fund.

10.10	Subd. 3.Peace Officer Training Reimbursements
 					
10.11 	$2,859,000 each year from the peace officer 
10.12 	training account in the special revenue fund 
10.13 	is for reimbursements to local governments 
10.14 	for peace officer training costs.

10.15	Subd. 4.Peace Officer Training Assistance
 					
10.16 	$5,000,000 each year from the general fund 
10.17 	is to support and strengthen law enforcement 
10.18 	training and implement best practices. This 
10.19 	appropriation may be allocated to implement 
10.20 	recommendations as submitted by the 
10.21 	Governor's Council on Law Enforcement and 
10.22 	Community Relations. This is a onetime 
10.23 	appropriation.

10.24	Sec. 13. PRIVATE DETECTIVE BOARD
 	$
	189,000
	$
	189,000

10.25	Sec. 14. HUMAN RIGHTS
 	$
	5,610,000
	$
	6,006,000

10.26	Subdivision 1.Regional Offices
 					
10.27 	$1,050,000 the first year and $1,250,000 the 
10.28 	second year are for new Human Rights 
10.29 	regional offices in Duluth, Rochester, and 
10.30 	Worthington and for additional support for the 
10.31 	existing regional office in St. Cloud.

11.1	Subd. 2.Ban the Box for Housing
 					
11.2 	$150,000 each year is for the implementation 
11.3 	and enforcement of the Ban the Box for 
11.4 	Housing under Minnesota Statutes, sections 
11.5 	364.20 to 364.22.

11.6	Sec. 15. CORRECTIONS

11.7
11.8	Subdivision 1.Total 
Appropriation
 	$
	9,200,000
	$
	598,630,000
	$
	616,262,000
	
11.9 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
11.10 	purpose are specified in the following 
11.11 	subdivisions.

11.12
11.13	Subd. 2.Correctional 
Institutions
 		9,200,000
		437,729,000
		453,372,000

11.14	(a) Offender Health Care
					
11.15 	$9,200,000 in fiscal year 2017 is to fund a 
11.16 	deficiency in the base budget for the offender 
11.17 	health care contract.
11.18 	$11,400,000 each year is added to the base for 
11.19 	the offender health care contract.

11.20	(b) Critical Technology
					
11.21 	$2,969,000 each year is to support critical 
11.22 	technology needs.

11.23	(c) Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act
					
11.24 	$943,000 the first year and $1,068,000 the 
11.25 	second year are to comply with requirements 
11.26 	of the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act.

11.27	(d) Operational Costs
					
11.28 	$2,450,000 each year is to increase the 
11.29 	relevant base budgets for operational costs 
11.30 	including offender food, plant operations, and 
11.31 	lease of space.

11.32	(e) Personnel; Shakopee and St. Cloud
					
12.1 	$262,000 each year is to add positions to 
12.2 	manage increased operational needs related to 
12.3 	the completion of capital bonding projects at 
12.4 	the correctional facilities in Shakopee and St. 
12.5 	Cloud.

12.6	(f) Mentally Ill Offenders
					
12.7 	$1,494,000 the first year and $1,962,000 the 
12.8 	second year are to expand services for 
12.9 	mentally ill offenders including behavioral 
12.10 	health and security personnel.

12.11	(g) Restrictive Housing Reforms
					
12.12 	$1,743,000 the first year and $2,027,000 the 
12.13 	second year are to implement restrictive 
12.14 	housing reforms that will reduce the risk of 
12.15 	future misconduct and comply with federal 
12.16 	guidelines and accreditation standards.

12.17	(h) Correctional Officers; Security Systems
					
12.18 	$2,500,000 the first year and $3,500,000 the 
12.19 	second year are to add positions for 
12.20 	correctional officers located in correctional 
12.21 	facilities and to upgrade critical security 
12.22 	systems.

12.23	(i) Offender Medical Services Expansion
					
12.24 	$750,000 the first year and $1,250,000 the 
12.25 	second year are to expand and improve 
12.26 	offender medical services.

12.27	Subd. 3.Community Services
 		132,998,000
		134,531,000
	
12.28 	(a) Supervised Release Agents
12.29 	$1,040,000 each year is to increase the number 
12.30 	of supervision agents for offenders under 
12.31 	Department of Corrections supervision.

12.32	(b) Critical Needs
					
13.1 	$345,000 each year is to support critical 
13.2 	technology needs.

13.3	(c) Out-Patient Sex Offender Treatment
					
13.4 	$465,000 each year is to increase out-patient 
13.5 	sex offender treatment for offenders on 
13.6 	community supervision.

13.7	(d) Subsidy
					
13.8 	$3,150,000 each year is added to the 
13.9 	Community Corrections Act subsidy, as 
13.10 	described in Minnesota Statutes, section 
13.11 	401.14.

13.12	(e) County Probation Officers
					
13.13 	$345,000 each year is for county probation 
13.14 	officers reimbursement, as described in 
13.15 	Minnesota Statutes, section 244.19, 
13.16 	subdivision 6.

13.17	(f) Offender Case Management
					
13.18 	$1,494,000 in fiscal year 2019 and $1,962,000 
13.19 	in fiscal year 2020 are to expand and improve 
13.20 	offender case management services.

13.21	Subd. 4.Operations Support
 		27,903,000
		28,359,000
	
13.22 	$1,638,000 each year is to support technology 
13.23 	needs.

13.24 	ARTICLE 2
13.25 	STATUTORY CHANGES

13.26 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 13.02, subdivision 17, is amended to read:
13.27 		Subd. 17.State agency. "State agency" means the state, the University of Minnesota, 
13.28 	and any office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, commission, authority, district 
13.29 	or agency of the state, but does not include the Tax Court.

13.30 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

14.1 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 271.06, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
14.2 		Subd. 6.Hearings; determination of issues; default. (a) The Tax Court shall hear, 
14.3 	consider, and determine without a jury every appeal de novo. A Tax Court judge may 
14.4 	empanel an advisory jury upon the judge's motion. The Tax Court shall hold a public hearing 
14.5 	in every case. All such parties shall have an opportunity to offer evidence and arguments 
14.6 	at the hearing; provided, that the order of the commissioner or the appropriate unit of 
14.7 	government in every case shall be prima facie valid. When an appeal to the Tax Court has 
14.8 	been taken from an order or determination of the commissioner or from the appropriate unit 
14.9 	of government, the proceeding shall be an original proceeding in the nature of a suit to set 
14.10 	aside or modify the order or determination. In case no appellant shall appear the Tax Court 
14.11 	shall enter its order affirming the order of the commissioner of revenue or the appropriate 
14.12 	unit of government from which the appeal was taken. If the Department of Revenue's sales 
14.13 	ratio study is introduced in Tax Court as evidence, the sales ratio data from the study shall 
14.14 	be admissible as evidence only as provided in section 278.05, subdivision 4.
14.15 	(b) The commissioner, the taxpayer, and any other party to an appeal to the Tax Court 
14.16 	may file all necessary notices, documents, and other necessary information with the Tax 
14.17 	Court in a manner approved by the Tax Court.
14.18 	(c) The Tax Court may adopt rules under chapter 14 governing procedures for electronic 
14.19 	filings of court documents.

14.20 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

14.21 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 271.21, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
14.22 		Subd. 2.Jurisdiction. At the election of the taxpayer, the Small Claims Division shall 
14.23 	have jurisdiction only in the following matters:
14.24 	(a) cases involving valuation, assessment, or taxation of real or personal property, if:
14.25 	(i) the issue is a denial of a current year application for the homestead classification for 
14.26 	the taxpayer's property;
14.27 	(ii) only one parcel is included in the petition, the entire parcel is classified as homestead 
14.28 	class 1a or 1b under section 273.13, and the parcel contains no more than one dwelling unit;
14.29 	(iii) the entire property is classified as agricultural homestead class 2a or 1b under section 
14.30 	273.13; or
14.31 	(iv) the assessor's estimated market value of the property included in the petition is less 
14.32 	than $300,000; or
15.1 	(b) any case not involving valuation, assessment, or taxation of real and personal property 
15.2 	in which the amount in controversy does not exceed $5,000 $15,000, including penalty and 
15.3 	interest.

15.4 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

15.5 	Sec. 4. [271.23] TAX COURT DATA, ELECTRONIC FILING.
15.6 	The Tax Court may adopt rules under chapter 14 governing classification of data 
15.7 	collected, created, stored, maintained, or disseminated by the Tax Court under this chapter.

15.8 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

15.9 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 299A.55, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
15.10 		Subd. 2.Railroad and pipeline safety account. (a) A railroad and pipeline safety 
15.11 	account is created in the special revenue fund. The account consists of funds collected under 
15.12 	subdivision 4 and funds donated, allotted, transferred, or otherwise provided to the account.
15.13 	(b) $104,000 $114,000 is annually appropriated from the railroad and pipeline safety 
15.14 	account to the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency for environmental protection 
15.15 	activities related to railroad discharge preparedness under chapter 115E.
15.16 	(c) Following the appropriation in paragraph (b), the remaining money in the account 
15.17 	is annually appropriated to the commissioner of public safety for the purposes specified in 
15.18 	subdivision 3.

15.19 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 299A.55, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
15.20 		Subd. 4.Assessments. (a) The commissioner of public safety shall annually assess 
15.21 	$2,500,000 $1,500,000 to railroad and pipeline companies based on the formula specified 
15.22 	in paragraph (b). The commissioner shall deposit funds collected under this subdivision in 
15.23 	the railroad and pipeline safety account under subdivision 2.
15.24 	(b) The assessment for each railroad is 50 percent of the total annual assessment amount, 
15.25 	divided in equal proportion between applicable rail carriers based on route miles operated 
15.26 	in Minnesota. The assessment for each pipeline company is 50 percent of the total annual 
15.27 	assessment amount, divided in equal proportion between companies based on the yearly 
15.28 	aggregate gallons of oil and hazardous substance transported by pipeline in Minnesota.
15.29 	(c) The assessments under this subdivision expire July 1, 2017.

16.1 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 364.01, is amended to read:
16.2 	364.01 POLICY.
16.3 	The legislature declares that it is the policy of the state of Minnesota to encourage and 
16.4 	contribute to the rehabilitation of criminal offenders and to assist them in the resumption 
16.5 	of the responsibilities of citizenship. The opportunity to secure employment or to pursue, 
16.6 	practice, or engage in a meaningful and profitable trade, occupation, vocation, profession 
16.7 	or business is essential to rehabilitation and the resumption of the responsibilities of 
16.8 	citizenship. The opportunity to secure housing is also essential to rehabilitation and the 
16.9 	resumption of the responsibilities of citizenship.

16.10 	Sec. 8. [364.20] DEFINITIONS.
16.11 		Subdivision 1.Scope. For purposes of sections 364.20 to 364.22, the terms in this section 
16.12 	have the meanings given them.
16.13 		Subd. 2.Landlord. "Landlord" means an owner of real property, a contract for deed 
16.14 	vendee, receiver, executor, trustee, lessee, agent, or other person directly or indirectly in 
16.15 	control of rental property.
16.16 		Subd. 3.Tenant screening process. "Tenant screening process" means the period before 
16.17 	a decision is made to rent or lease, which includes the time during which a person is seeking 
16.18 	housing requests and is provided an application and the time during which the assessment 
16.19 	of rental history and credit history, the checking of sources of income, and the scheduling 
16.20 	of an applicant interview routinely occur.

16.21 	Sec. 9. [364.21] HOUSING; CONSIDERATION OF CRIMINAL RECORDS.
16.22 	Unless otherwise provided by law, a criminal record shall not automatically disqualify 
16.23 	an applicant. This section does not prohibit a landlord from notifying applicants that law 
16.24 	or the landlord's policy will disqualify an individual with a particular criminal history 
16.25 	background from housing. The landlord may disclose screening criteria used to decide 
16.26 	whether to rent or lease to an applicant with a criminal history background. The landlord's 
16.27 	initial disclosure shall inform the applicant of the opportunity to provide evidence 
16.28 	demonstrating inaccuracies within the applicant's criminal record or evidence of rehabilitation 
16.29 	or other mitigating factors and contain examples of rehabilitation or other mitigating factors.

17.1 	Sec. 10. [364.22] TRANSPARENCY IN CONSIDERING CRIMINAL HISTORY 
17.2 	INFORMATION IN RENTAL HOUSING.
17.3 	(a) This section does not prohibit a landlord from conducting or using criminal 
17.4 	background check information in evaluating applicants or making rental decisions.
17.5 	(b) A landlord shall conduct a criminal background check only after the prospective 
17.6 	tenant has successfully completed all other phases of the landlord's tenant screening process. 
17.7 	Following successful completion of the landlord's tenant screening process, the landlord's 
17.8 	request for a criminal background check shall inform the applicant that the applicant may 
17.9 	provide information to the landlord concerning inaccuracies within the applicant's criminal 
17.10 	record as well as information of rehabilitation and mitigating factors. If the applicant claims 
17.11 	the information is inaccurate, the landlord shall allow the applicant a reasonable amount of 
17.12 	time to have the record corrected.
17.13 	(c) The landlord shall not consider crimes that have been expunged by a judge or arrests 
17.14 	that did not lead to a conviction, except when there is a pending judicial proceeding related 
17.15 	to the arrest.
17.16 	(d) The landlord shall provide the applicant with an opportunity to request a reasonable 
17.17 	accommodation.
17.18 	(e) The landlord shall maintain records for a period of two years concerning application 
17.19 	of criminal history information in tenant selection. The information shall list the name of 
17.20 	the applicant, the criminal history information received concerning the applicant, the 
17.21 	rehabilitation and mitigating factors provided by the applicant, and the decision of the 
17.22 	landlord.
17.23 	(f) This section does not preempt existing statutory duties to consider criminal background 
17.24 	information in evaluating applicants.

17.25 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 504B.173, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
17.26 		Subdivision 1.Limitations. A landlord is subject to and must comply with section 
17.27 	364.22. A landlord may not:
17.28 	(1) charge an applicant a screening fee when the landlord knows or should have known 
17.29 	that no rental unit is available at that time or will be available within a reasonable future 
17.30 	time;
18.1 	(2) collect or hold an applicant screening fee without giving the applicant a written 
18.2 	receipt for the fee, which may be incorporated into the application form, upon request of 
18.3 	the applicant; or
18.4 	(3) use, cash, or deposit an applicant screening fee until all prior applicants have either 
18.5 	been screened and rejected, or offered the unit and declined to enter into a rental agreement.

18.6 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 504B.173, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
18.7 		Subd. 3.Disclosures to applicant. If a landlord accepts an applicant screening fee from 
18.8 	a prospective tenant, the landlord must:
18.9 	(1) disclose in writing prior to accepting the applicant screening fee:
18.10 	(i) the name, address, and telephone number of the tenant screening service the landlord 
18.11 	will use, unless the landlord does not use a tenant screening service; and
18.12 	(ii) the criteria, including criminal history information, on which the decision to rent to 
18.13 	the prospective tenant will be based; and
18.14 	(2) notify the applicant within 14 days of rejecting a rental application, identifying the 
18.15 	criteria the applicant failed to meet.