1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; enhancing penalties for crimes motivated by bias; 
1.3 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 609.2231, subdivision 4; 609.595, 
1.4 	subdivision 1a; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 609.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [609.154] INCREASED PENALTIES FOR CRIMES MOTIVATED 
1.7 	BY BIAS.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Crimes motivated by bias.  Notwithstanding the statutory maximum 
1.9 	penalty otherwise applicable to the offense, the court shall sentence a person as provided 
1.10 	under subdivision 2, if: 
1.11 	(1) the person is convicted of a crime under chapter 609; and 
1.12 	(2) the factfinder determines that the person committed the crime because of the 
1.13 	victim's, property owner's, or another's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, 
1.14 	sexual orientation, disability as defined in section 363A.03, age, or national origin. 
1.15 		Subd. 2. Penalties.  (a) If the crime committed is a felony, the statutory maximum 
1.16 	for the crime is five years longer than the statutory maximum for the underlying crime. 
1.17 	(b) If the crime committed is a gross misdemeanor, the person is guilty of a felony 
1.18 	and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than two years or to payment of 
1.19 	a fine of not more than $10,000, or both. 
1.20 	(c) If the crime committed is a misdemeanor, the person is guilty of a gross 
1.21 	misdemeanor. 
1.22 		Subd. 3. Exception.  This section does not apply to any crime if proof of the 
1.23 	victim's, property owner's, or another's actual or perceived race, religion, color, disability, 
2.1 	sexual orientation, disability as defined in section 363A.03, age, or national origin is 
2.2 	required for a conviction for that crime. 

2.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2006, and applies to crimes 
2.4 	committed on or after that date. 

2.5 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.2231, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.6 		Subd. 4.Assaults motivated by bias. (a) Whoever assaults another because of the 
2.7 	victim's or another's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, 
2.8 	disability as defined in section  363A.03, age, or national origin may be sentenced to 
2.9 	imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, 
2.10 	or both. 
2.11 	(b) Whoever violates the provisions of paragraph (a) within five years of a previous 
2.12 	conviction under paragraph (a) is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment 
2.13 	for not more than ~~one year and a day or~~two years and to payment of a fine of not more 
2.14 	than ~~$3,000, or both~~ $10,000.

2.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2006, and applies to crimes 
2.16 	committed on or after that date.

2.17 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.595, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
2.18 		Subd. 1a.Criminal damage to property in the second degree. (a) Whoever 
2.19 	intentionally causes damage described in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), because of the 
2.20 	property owner's or another's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual 
2.21 	orientation, disability as defined in section  363A.03, age, or national origin is guilty of a 
2.22 	felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ~~one year and a day~~  two 
2.23 	yearsor to payment of a fine of not more than ~~$3,000~~ $5,000, or both. 
2.24 	(b) In any prosecution under paragraph (a), the value of property damaged by the 
2.25 	defendant in violation of that paragraph within any six-month period may be aggregated 
2.26 	and the defendant charged accordingly in applying this section. When two or more 
2.27 	offenses are committed by the same person in two or more counties, the accused may 
2.28 	be prosecuted in any county in which one of the offenses was committed for all of the 
2.29 	offenses aggregated under this paragraph.

2.30 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2006, and applies to crimes 
2.31 	committed on or after that date.