2024 Minnesota Statutes

609.5151 DISSEMINATION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT PROHIBITED; PENALTY.

Subdivision 1.Definitions.

As used in this section:

(1) "family or household member" has the meaning given in section 518B.01, subdivision 2;

(2) "law enforcement official" means both peace officers as defined in section 626.84, subdivision 1, and persons employed by a law enforcement agency; and

(3) "personal information" means a home telephone number, personal cell number, personal email address, name of the official's minor child, photographs of the official's minor child, home address, directions to a home, or photographs of a home.

Subd. 2.Crime described.

(a) It is a misdemeanor for a person to knowingly and without consent make publicly available, including but not limited to through the Internet, personal information about a law enforcement official or an official's family or household member, if:

(1) the public availability of information poses an imminent and serious threat to the official's safety or the safety of an official's family or household member; and

(2) the person making the information publicly available knows or reasonably should know of the imminent and serious threat.

(b) A person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor if the person violates paragraph (a) and a law enforcement official or an official's family or household member suffers great bodily harm or death as a result of the violation.

(c) A person who is convicted of a second or subsequent violation of this section is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

History:

1Sp2021 c 11 art 2 s 40; 2024 c 112 art 2 s 74,75