HF 1083 Minnesota House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Domestic abuse advocates prohibited from disclosing information.

HF 1083 amends Minnesota law to prohibit domestic abuse advocates (such as counselors or shelter staff) from disclosing certain client information without consent. The bill specifically states that these advocates cannot share information acquired during professional services, except when the client provides written consent, a crime is involved, or the client sues the advocate. This directly affects domestic abuse survivors seeking help and the advocates who support them. The change updates Minnesota Statutes 595.02 to add this restriction, aligning with existing confidentiality rules for other professionals like social workers and counselors.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Last action Apr 1, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduction 1st Engrossment · 4 edits · Apr 1, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was updated from its introduction to its first engrossment, reflecting changes made during the legislative process. The most significant substantive change is the addition of a new exemption clause that clarifies that the privacy protections for domestic abuse advocates do not prevent prosecutors from sharing evidence with the defense or exempt advocates from other specific legal requirements. Several section numbers were also added to the table of contents, indicating new content within the bill.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded by adding a specific exception to the privacy rule, allowing prosecutors to disclose information to the defense and clarifying that advocates remain subject to other existing laws.
REQUIREMENT

Added a new provision stating that the privacy rules for domestic abuse advocates do not stop prosecutors from sharing evidence with the defense.

Added a clarification that domestic abuse advocates must still comply with other specific laws, such as those regarding sexual assault counselors.

TECHNICAL

Added new section numbers (4.35, 5.8 through 5.11) to the table of contents, indicating new sections were inserted into the bill.

Updated the document title and posting date to reflect the first engrossment version and the new date of November 19, 2025.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report, to adopt as amended
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report, to adopt and re-refer to Public Safety Finance and Policy
lower
Feb 17, 2025
Introduced
Introduction and first reading, referred to Judiciary Finance and Civil Law
lower
1 primary · 7 co-sponsors

Sponsors