Penalties enhanced and minimum fines established for repeat violations of driving without a valid license.
HF 341 amends Minnesota Statutes section 171.24 to establish minimum fines and enhance penalties for repeat driving without a valid license. It specifically targets individuals convicted of driving while license is suspended, revoked, or canceled who: (1) cause injury or death in a collision, or (2) have prior convictions for similar offenses within 10 years. The bill sets a minimum fine amount for these repeat violations, raising them to gross misdemeanor level when the specified conditions are met. This directly affects drivers with repeated license violations who operate vehicles without authorization. The changes apply to offenses under existing statutes related to license suspension, revocation, or disqualification.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 13, 2025
Last action Apr 7, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduction
→
1st Engrossment
·
3 edits
·
Apr 4, 2025
MINOR
The bill was updated from its introduction to its first engrossment version, reflecting a revision in how penalties are applied to repeat offenders. The most significant change is the redefinition of a 'qualified violation' to specifically include collisions causing serious injury or death, alongside a list of specific traffic laws that trigger enhanced penalties. This ensures that drivers who cause severe accidents while unlicensed face stricter consequences than those who simply drive without a license.
Scope change
The bill's scope was narrowed regarding the definition of a 'qualified violation' by removing a broad catch-all for other violations and instead explicitly listing specific statutes and adding a condition for collisions causing substantial bodily harm or death.
DEFINITION
The definition of a 'qualified violation' was changed to require either a collision causing substantial bodily harm, great bodily harm, or death, or a violation of one of several specifically listed traffic statutes.
ENFORCEMENT
New subsections were added to clarify that violations of specific chapters and laws from other states similar to Minnesota's are included in the enhanced penalty provisions.
REQUIREMENT
The previous broad language allowing any violation of certain chapters to count was replaced with a more specific list of statutes to ensure precise application of the enhanced penalties.
Floor votes · House Apr 3, 2025
How they voted
119–14
Passed
Total votes 133
Apr 3, 2025
D
Democratic66
78% Yea
R
Republican67
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
15
Key actions
4
Committee
3
Amendments
1
Apr 7, 2025
Committee
Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Introduced
Introduction and first reading
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Introduced
Received from House
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Bill was passed as amended
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
Mar 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report, to adopt
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report, to adopt and re-refer to Transportation Finance and Policy
lower
Feb 13, 2025
Introduced
Introduction and first reading, referred to Public Safety Finance and Policy
lower
1 primary · 6 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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