Minnesota Session Laws - 2000, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 368-H.F.No. 3331 
                  An act relating to crime prevention; creating the 
                  position of director of domestic violence and sexual 
                  assault prevention and an interagency task force on 
                  domestic violence and sexual assault prevention; 
                  specifying the powers, duties, and organization of the 
                  director and task force; amending Minnesota Statutes 
                  1998, sections 611A.25, by adding a subdivision; and 
                  611A.34, subdivision 3; proposing coding for new law 
                  in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 611A. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  [611A.201] [DIRECTOR OF PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC 
        VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.] 
           Subdivision 1.  [APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR.] The executive 
        director of the center for crime victim services shall appoint a 
        person to serve as director of domestic violence and sexual 
        assault prevention in the center.  The director must have 
        experience in domestic violence and sexual assault prevention 
        issues.  The director serves at the executive director's 
        pleasure in the unclassified service.  The executive director 
        may appoint, supervise, discipline, and discharge employees to 
        assist the director in carrying out the director's 
        responsibilities under this section. 
           Subd. 2.  [DIRECTOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES.] The director shall 
        have the following duties: 
           (1) advocate for the rights of victims of domestic violence 
        and sexual assault; 
           (2) increase public education and visibility about the 
        prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault; 
           (3) encourage accountability regarding domestic violence 
        and sexual assault at all levels of the system, and develop 
        recommendations to improve accountability when the system fails; 
           (4) support prosecution and civil litigation efforts 
        regarding domestic violence and sexual assault at the federal 
        and state levels; 
           (5) initiate policy changes regarding domestic violence and 
        sexual assault at all levels of government; 
           (6) coordinate existing resources and promote coordinated 
        and immediate community responses to better serve victims of 
        domestic violence and sexual assault; 
           (7) build partnerships among law enforcement, prosecutors, 
        defenders, advocates, and courts to reduce the occurrence of 
        domestic violence and sexual assault; 
           (8) encourage and support the efforts of health care 
        providers, mental health experts, employers, educators, clergy 
        members, and others, in raising awareness of and addressing how 
        to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault; 
           (9) coordinate and maximize the use of federal, state, and 
        local resources available to prevent domestic violence and 
        sexual assault and leverage more resources through grants and 
        private funding; and 
           (10) serve as a liaison between the executive director of 
        the center for crime victim services and the commissioner of 
        health with regard to the department of health's sexual violence 
        prevention program funded by federal block grants, and oversee 
        how this money is spent. 
           Subd. 3.  [SERVICE AS CHAIR OF INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.] The 
        director shall serve as the chair of the interagency task force 
        described in section 611A.202. 
           Subd. 4.  [ANNUAL REPORT.] By January 15 of each year, the 
        director shall report to the governor and the legislature on 
        matters within the director's jurisdiction.  In addition to 
        other issues deemed relevant by the director, the report may 
        include recommendations for changes in policies and laws 
        relating to domestic violence and sexual assault prevention. 
           Subd. 5.  [OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.] In addition to those 
        described in this section, the executive director of the center 
        may assign other appropriate responsibilities to the director. 
           Sec. 2.  [611A.202] [INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON DOMESTIC 
        VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION.] 
           Subdivision 1.  [TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP.] The interagency 
        task force on domestic violence and sexual assault prevention 
        consists of the following individuals, or their designees: 
           (1) the director of domestic violence and sexual assault 
        prevention; 
           (2) the director of the department of public safety's 
        office of drug policy and violence prevention; 
           (3) a representative of the department of children, 
        families, and learning who is responsible for or knowledgeable 
        about violence prevention issues, child visitation, and abused 
        children's programs within the department's jurisdiction; 
        appointed by the commissioner of children, families, and 
        learning; 
           (4) a representative of the department of corrections who 
        is responsible for or knowledgeable about violence prevention 
        and restorative justice issues within the department's 
        jurisdiction; appointed by the commissioner of corrections; 
           (5) a representative of the department of health who is 
        responsible for or knowledgeable about family and public health 
        violence prevention issues within the department's jurisdiction; 
        appointed by the commissioner of health; 
           (6) a representative of the department of human services 
        who is responsible for or knowledgeable about violence 
        prevention issues within the department's jurisdiction; 
        appointed by the commissioner of human services; 
           (7) a representative of the department of economic security 
        who is responsible for or knowledgeable about violence 
        prevention issues within the department's jurisdiction; 
        appointed by the commissioner of economic security; 
           (8) a county attorney knowledgeable in domestic violence 
        and sexual assault issues; appointed by the Minnesota county 
        attorney's association; 
           (9) a judge knowledgeable in domestic violence and sexual 
        assault issues; appointed by the chief justice of the supreme 
        court; 
           (10) a city attorney knowledgeable in domestic violence and 
        sexual assault issues; appointed by the league of Minnesota 
        cities; 
           (11) a representative from the United States Attorney's 
        office knowledgeable in domestic violence and sexual assault 
        issues; appointed by the United States Attorney; 
           (12) the attorney general, or a designee; 
           (13) a representative from the Minnesota coalition for 
        battered women; appointed by the coalition; 
           (14) a representative from the Minnesota coalition against 
        sexual assault; appointed by the coalition; 
           (15) a representative from a battered women shelter; 
        appointed by the commissioner of public safety; 
           (16) the executive director of the center for crime victim 
        services; and 
           (17) a peace officer knowledgeable in domestic violence and 
        sexual assault issues; appointed by the commissioner of public 
        safety. 
           Subd. 2.  [CHAIR; STAFF.] The director of domestic violence 
        and sexual assault prevention shall serve as the task force's 
        chair and provide necessary staff to assist the task force. 
           Subd. 3.  [OBJECTIVES.] The task force shall work to 
        promote the objectives described in section 611A.201, 
        subdivision 2, and prepare the strategic plan and evaluations 
        described in subdivision 4. 
           Subd. 4.  [STRATEGIC PLAN; EVALUATION.] (a) By January 15, 
        2001, the task force shall submit a strategic plan on domestic 
        violence and sexual assault prevention to the governor and 
        legislature.  The plan must include: 
           (1) recommendations on how to reduce incidents of domestic 
        violence and sexual assault; 
           (2) recommendations on how to coordinate existing resources 
        at the federal, state, and local levels to reduce incidents of 
        domestic violence and sexual assault; including specific 
        proposals on how these entities may cooperate better; 
           (3) recommendations for changes in policies and laws to 
        reduce incidents of domestic violence and sexual assault; 
           (4) recommendations on the need for increased services and 
        resources to reduce incidents of domestic violence and sexual 
        assault; and 
           (5) other items deemed appropriate by the task force. 
           (b) By January 15 of each year, the task force shall 
        evaluate the progress made in reducing domestic violence and 
        sexual assaults during the preceding year.  The evaluation must 
        detail the response to the strategic plan described in paragraph 
        (a), including the progress, if any, made towards implementing 
        each of its recommendations.  The evaluation must also assess 
        the successes and failures of the director of domestic violence 
        and sexual assault prevention in achieving the director's 
        objectives. 
           Subd. 5.  [SAFE COUNCIL.] To the degree feasible, the task 
        force shall cooperate and coordinate its activities with the 
        SAFE council. 
           Subd. 6.  [EXPIRATION AND COMPENSATION.] Notwithstanding 
        section 15.059, the task force expires June 30, 2005.  Task 
        force members may receive expense reimbursements as provided in 
        section 15.059.  Task force members who are not public employees 
        may receive compensation for serving as provided in section 
        15.059. 
           Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 611A.25, is 
        amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
           Subd. 5.  [DUTIES.] In addition to other duties, the 
        advisory council shall advise the director of domestic violence 
        and sexual assault prevention in matters related to preventing 
        occurrences of these types of violence. 
           Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 611A.34, 
        subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 3.  [DUTIES.] The advisory council shall: 
           (1) advise the commissioner on all planning, development, 
        data collection, rulemaking, funding, and evaluation of programs 
        and services for battered women that are funded under section 
        611A.32, other than matters of a purely administrative nature; 
           (2) advise the commissioner on the adoption of rules under 
        chapter 14 governing the award of grants to ensure that funded 
        programs are consistent with section 611A.32, subdivision 1; 
           (3) recommend to the commissioner the names of five 
        applicants for the position of battered women's program 
        director; 
           (4) advise the commissioner on the rules adopted under 
        chapter 14 pursuant to section 611A.33; 
           (5) review applications received by the commissioner for 
        grants under section 611A.32 and make recommendations on the 
        awarding of grants; and 
           (6) advise the program director in the performance of 
        duties in the administration and coordination of the programs 
        funded under section 611A.32; and 
           (7) advise the director of domestic violence and sexual 
        assault prevention in matters related to preventing these 
        occurrences of these types of violence. 
           Sec. 5.  [INITIAL EVALUATION.] 
           The first evaluation required by Minnesota Statutes, 
        section 611A.202, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), is due January 
        15, 2002. 
           Sec. 6.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
           Sections 1 to 5 are effective July 1, 2000. 
           Presented to the governor April 10, 2000 
           Signed by the governor April 13, 2000, 4:41 p.m.