Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
CHAPTER 179-H.F.No. 1399 An act relating to crime; imposing penalties for assaulting a police horse while it is being used for law enforcement purposes; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 609. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. [609.597] [ASSAULTING OR HARMING A POLICE HORSE; PENALTIES.] Subdivision 1. [DEFINITION.] As used in this section, "police horse" means a horse that has been trained for crowd control and other law enforcement purposes and is used to assist peace officers in the performance of their official duties. Subd. 2. [CRIME.] Whoever assaults or intentionally harms a police horse while the horse is being used or maintained for use by a law enforcement agency is guilty of a crime and may be sentenced as provided in subdivision 3. Subd. 3. [PENALTIES.] A person convicted of violating subdivision 2 may be sentenced as follows: (1) if a peace officer, or any other person suffers great bodily harm or death as a result of the violation, the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both; (2) if the police horse suffers death or great bodily harm as a result of the violation, or if a peace officer suffers demonstrable bodily harm as a result of the violation, the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than two years or to payment of a fine of not more than $4,000, or both; (3) if the police horse suffers demonstrable bodily harm as a result of the violation, the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year and one day or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both; (4) if a peace officer is involuntarily unseated from the police horse or any person, other than the peace officer, suffers demonstrable bodily harm as a result of the violation, the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both; (5) if a violation other than one described in clauses (1) to (4) occurs, the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $700, or both. Sec. 2. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] Section 1 is effective the date following final enactment and applies to crimes committed on or after that date. Presented to the governor May 15, 1995 Signed by the governor May 17, 1995, 2:02 p.m.
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes