Bill > SF3238

This bill modifies Minnesota statutes to expand the ability of the Office of Administrative Hearings' chief judge to set aside certain permanent disqualifications for background studies, particularly in employment and licensing contexts. The bill creates a new provision that allows the chief judge to set aside disqualifications for certain criminal offenses under specific circumstances, such as when ten years have passed since sentence completion, the individual's firearms rights have been restored, or the crime was pardoned or expunged. Importantly, the chief judge cannot set aside disqualifications for serious crimes like murder, manslaughter, criminal sexual misconduct, or crimes involving children. The bill also updates related sections of law to reflect this new authority, providing more nuanced considerations for evaluating an individual's potential risk, including factors like the nature of the offense, time elapsed, rehabilitation efforts, and the specific context of the background study (such as substance use disorder treatment or foster care settings). This change aims to provide a pathway for individuals with past criminal records to potentially be deemed eligible for certain jobs or licenses, while still maintaining safeguards to protect vulnerable populations.

Government Affairs

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF3238&ssn=0&y=2025