1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to crime; expanding the definition of 
  1.3             criminal gang in the gang enhancement statute; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.229, 
  1.5             subdivision 1. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 609.229, 
  1.8   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITION.] As used in this section, 
  1.10  "criminal gang" means any ongoing organization, association, or 
  1.11  group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, that:
  1.12     (1) has, as one of its primary activities~~,~~: 
  1.13     (i) the commission of one or more of the offenses listed in 
  1.14  section 609.11, subdivision 9; or 
  1.15     (ii) the commission of an offense under section 609.2231, 
  1.16  609.224, 609.498, 609.53 when the stolen property is a firearm, 
  1.17  609.667, 609.71, 609.713, or possession of a pistol without a 
  1.18  permit under section 624.714; 
  1.19     (2) has a common name or common identifying sign or symbol; 
  1.20  and 
  1.21     (3) includes members who individually or collectively 
  1.22  engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal activity. 
  1.23     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  1.24     Section 1 is effective August 1, 1999, and applies to 
  1.25  crimes committed on or after that date.