1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to crime prevention; increasing maximum fines 
  1.3             for petty misdemeanor and misdemeanor offenses; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, sections 169.89, 
  1.5             subdivision 2; 609.02, subdivisions 3 and 4a; 609.03; 
  1.6             609.033; 609.0331; 609.0332, subdivision 1; and 
  1.7             609.034. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.89, 
  1.10  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subd. 2.  [PETTY MISDEMEANOR PENALTY; NO JURY TRIAL.] A 
  1.12  person charged with a petty misdemeanor is not entitled to a 
  1.13  jury trial but shall be tried by a judge without a jury.  If 
  1.14  convicted, the person is not subject to imprisonment but shall 
  1.15  be punished by a fine of not more than $200 $300. 
  1.16     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.02, 
  1.17  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.18     Subd. 3.  [MISDEMEANOR.] "Misdemeanor" means a crime for 
  1.19  which a sentence of not more than 90 days or a fine of not more 
  1.20  than $700 $800, or both, may be imposed. 
  1.21     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.02, 
  1.22  subdivision 4a, is amended to read: 
  1.23     Subd. 4a.  [PETTY MISDEMEANOR.] "Petty misdemeanor" means a 
  1.24  petty offense which is prohibited by statute, which does not 
  1.25  constitute a crime and for which a sentence of a fine of not 
  1.26  more than $200 $300 may be imposed. 
  2.1      Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.03, is 
  2.2   amended to read: 
  2.3      609.03 [PUNISHMENT WHEN NOT OTHERWISE FIXED.] 
  2.4      If a person is convicted of a crime for which no punishment 
  2.5   is otherwise provided the person may be sentenced as follows: 
  2.6      (1) If the crime is a felony, to imprisonment for not more 
  2.7   than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than 
  2.8   $10,000, or both; or 
  2.9      (2) If the crime is a gross misdemeanor, to imprisonment 
  2.10  for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more 
  2.11  than $3,000, or both; or 
  2.12     (3) If the crime is a misdemeanor, to imprisonment for not 
  2.13  more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more than 
  2.14  $700 $800, or both; or 
  2.15     (4) If the crime is other than a misdemeanor and a fine is 
  2.16  imposed but the amount is not specified, to payment of a fine of 
  2.17  not more than $1,000, or to imprisonment for a specified term of 
  2.18  not more than six months if the fine is not paid. 
  2.19     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.033, is 
  2.20  amended to read: 
  2.21     609.033 [INCREASED MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR MISDEMEANORS.] 
  2.22     Any law of this state which provides for a maximum fine of 
  2.23  $500 $700 as a penalty for a violation misdemeanor shall, on or 
  2.24  after August 1, 1983 2000, be deemed to provide for a maximum 
  2.25  fine of $700 $800.  
  2.26     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.0331, is 
  2.27  amended to read: 
  2.28     609.0331 [INCREASED MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR PETTY 
  2.29  MISDEMEANORS.] 
  2.30     A law of this state that provides, on or after August 1, 
  2.31  1987 2000, for a maximum penalty of $100 $200 for a petty 
  2.32  misdemeanor is considered to provide for a maximum fine 
  2.33  of $200 $300.  
  2.34     Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.0332, 
  2.35  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.36     Subdivision 1.  [INCREASED FINE.] From August 1, 1987 2000, 
  3.1   if a state law or municipal charter sets a limit of $100 $200 or 
  3.2   less on the fines that a statutory or home rule charter city, 
  3.3   town, county, or other political subdivision may prescribe for 
  3.4   an ordinance violation that is defined as a petty misdemeanor, 
  3.5   that law or charter is considered to provide that the political 
  3.6   subdivision has the power to prescribe a maximum fine of $200 
  3.7   $300 for the petty misdemeanor violation. 
  3.8      Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.034, is 
  3.9   amended to read: 
  3.10     609.034 [INCREASED MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR ORDINANCE 
  3.11  VIOLATIONS.] 
  3.12     Any law of this state or municipal charter which limits the 
  3.13  power of any statutory or home rule charter city, town, county, 
  3.14  or other political subdivision to prescribe a maximum fine of 
  3.15  $500 $700 or less for an ordinance shall on or after August 1, 
  3.16  1983 2000, be deemed to provide that the statutory or home rule 
  3.17  charter city, town, county, or other political subdivision has 
  3.18  the power to prescribe a maximum fine of $700 $800.  
  3.19     Sec. 9.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.20     Sections 1 to 8 are effective August 1, 2000, and apply to 
  3.21  violations committed on or after that date.