1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; establishing the Task Force on Preventing Violence 
1.3 	Against Latina Women; requiring a report; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. TASK FORCE ON PREVENTING VIOLENCE AGAINST LATINA 
1.6 	WOMEN.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; duties. (a) By August 1, 2024, the commissioner of 
1.8 	public safety shall establish a Task Force on Preventing Violence Against Latina Women. 
1.9 	The task force shall provide recommendations to reduce and end violence against Latina 
1.10 	women and girls in Minnesota; recommend strategies to disrupt the developmental pathways 
1.11 	toward gender-based violence; identify key strategies to help prevent abuse and violence 
1.12 	before it occurs, including outreach and communication to high-risk populations; and 
1.13 	recommend strategies to develop public engagement and prevention campaigns to address 
1.14 	interrelated risk factors that contribute to violence.
1.15 	(b) The task force may serve as a liaison between commissioners, agencies and 
1.16 	nongovernmental organizations that provide services to victims, survivors, families of 
1.17 	victims and survivors, and communities of victims and survivors.
1.18 	(c) The Task Force on Preventing Violence Against Latina Women must examine and 
1.19 	report on the following:
1.20 	(1) the systemic causes behind violence that Latina women and girls experience that 
1.21 	explain why disproportionately high levels of violence occur against Latina women and 
1.22 	girls, including at a minimum:
2.1 	(i) patterns and underlying factors; and
2.2 	(ii) underlying historical, social, economic, religious, institutional, immigration, and 
2.3 	cultural factors that may contribute to the violence;
2.4 	(2) appropriate methods for tracking and collecting data on violence against Latina 
2.5 	women and girls, including at a minimum data on preventing violence against Latina women 
2.6 	and girls;
2.7 	(3) policies and institutions such as policing, education, labor, child welfare, coroner 
2.8 	practices, and other practices that impact violence against Latina women and girls and the 
2.9 	investigation and prosecution of crimes of gender-based violence against Latine communities;
2.10 	(4) measures necessary to address and reduce violence against Latina women and girls, 
2.11 	including at a minimum public awareness campaigns on gender-based violence, aimed at 
2.12 	reaching both perpetrators and victims of abuse to educate community members about the 
2.13 	severity of the issue, encourage people to take action to promote social change, and educate 
2.14 	victims survivors about the availability of services; and
2.15 	(5) measures to help victims and survivors, families of victims and survivors, and 
2.16 	communities of victims and survivors prevent and heal from violence that occurs against 
2.17 	Latina women and girls, including at a minimum recommendations to expand existing 
2.18 	programs and the creation of innovative strategies that strengthen relationships with families 
2.19 	and networks of support.
2.20 	(d) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given:
2.21 	(i) "commissioners" means the commissioner of public safety and commissioner of 
2.22 	health; and
2.23 	(ii) "nongovernmental organizations" means nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations 
2.24 	that provide legal, social, or other community services.
2.25 		Subd. 2.Membership. (a) To the extent practicable, the Task Force on Preventing 
2.26 	Violence Against Latina Women shall consist of the following individuals, or designees, 
2.27 	who are knowledgeable of victims' rights or violence prevention and, unless otherwise 
2.28 	specified, members shall be appointed by the commissioners:
2.29 	(1) two members of the senate, one appointed by the majority leader and one appointed 
2.30 	by the minority leader;
2.31 	(2) two members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the 
2.32 	house and one appointed by the minority leader;
3.1 	(3) two representatives who work closely with the Latine community from among the 
3.2 	following:
3.3 	(i) the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association;
3.4 	(ii) the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association;
3.5 	(iii) the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; and
3.6 	(iv) the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association;
3.7 	(4) one or more representatives from the Minnesota County Attorneys Association;
3.8 	(5) a county coroner or a representative from a statewide coroner's association or a 
3.9 	representative of the Department of Health;
3.10 	(6) one representative from among the following:
3.11 	(i) a statewide, rural, or local organization that provides legal services to Latina women 
3.12 	and girls;
3.13 	(ii) a statewide, rural, or local organization that provides nonlegal services to Latina 
3.14 	women and girls;
3.15 	(iii) a Latine-led health organization or agency; and
3.16 	(iv) Latina women who are survivors of gender-based violence; and
3.17 	(7) three members representing the public schools system.
3.18 	(b) Members of the task force serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority or until 
3.19 	the task force expires. Vacancies in commissioners-appointed positions shall be filled by 
3.20 	the commissioners consistent with the qualifications of the vacating member required under 
3.21 	this subdivision.
3.22 	(c) The task force members may receive expense reimbursement under Minnesota 
3.23 	Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 6.
3.24 		Subd. 3.Officers; meetings. (a) The task force members shall annually elect a chair 
3.25 	and vice-chair from among the task force's members and may elect other officers as 
3.26 	necessary. The task force shall meet at least quarterly or upon the call of the chair and may 
3.27 	hold meetings throughout the state. The task force shall meet sufficiently to accomplish the 
3.28 	tasks identified in this section. Meetings of the task force are subject to Minnesota Statutes, 
3.29 	chapter 13D. The task force shall seek out and enlist the cooperation and assistance of 
3.30 	nongovernmental organizations, community and advocacy organizations working with the 
3.31 	Latine community, and academic researchers and experts, specifically those specializing 
4.1 	in violence against Latina women and girls, representing diverse communities 
4.2 	disproportionately affected by violence against women and girls, or focusing on issues 
4.3 	related to gender-based violence and violence against Latina women and girls.
4.4 	(b) The commissioners shall convene the first meeting of the task force no later than 
4.5 	September 15, 2024, and shall provide meeting space and administrative assistance as 
4.6 	necessary for the task force to conduct its work.
4.7 		Subd. 4.Report. On or before December 15, 2026, the task force shall report to the 
4.8 	chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over 
4.9 	public safety, health and human services, and state government on the work of the task 
4.10 	force, including but not limited to the issues to be examined in subdivision 1, and shall 
4.11 	include in the report institutional policies and practices or proposed institutional policies 
4.12 	and practices that are effective in reducing gender-based violence and increasing the safety 
4.13 	of Latina women and girls. The report shall include recommendations to reduce and end 
4.14 	violence against Latina women and girls and help victims, survivors, families, and 
4.15 	communities heal from gender-based violence and violence against Latina women and girls.
4.16 		Subd. 5.Expiration. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, the task force 
4.17 	expires January 1, 2026.

4.18 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 4.19 	$650,000 in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
4.20 	of public safety for the Task Force on Preventing Violence Against Latina Women under 
4.21 	section 1. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until January 1, 2026.