Bill > SF663

This bill amends Minnesota's criminal code to expand the definition of unintentional second-degree murder by broadening the jurisdictions from which protective orders can be recognized in cases involving domestic violence. Currently, the law allows for a murder charge if a person causes a death while violating a protective order, but this amendment extends the definition to include orders issued not just by Minnesota courts, but also by courts from the United States, the District of Columbia, Tribal Lands, United States territories, Canada, and Canadian provinces. The bill specifically adds these jurisdictions to the list of recognized protective orders, which already includes orders for protection, harassment restraining orders, court orders setting conditions of release or sentencing, and restraining orders from marriage dissolution actions. The amendment will become effective on August 1, 2025, and will apply to crimes committed on or after that date. By expanding the jurisdictional scope of recognized protective orders, the bill aims to provide broader legal protection for victims of domestic violence and hold perpetrators accountable across a wider range of geographical contexts.

Justice

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF0663&ssn=0&y=2025