Age of delinquency for certain serious offenses established to be ten years of age.

This bill lowers the minimum age at which a child can be charged with serious crimes in Minnesota from thirteen to ten years old, starting on August 1, 2026. It directly affects children aged ten or older who commit violent offenses, such as murder or attempted murder, by allowing them to be treated as delinquent rather than children in need of protection. The law includes specific exceptions, such as excluding first-degree murder committed by children over sixteen and excluding certain sexual exploitation cases. Additionally, the bill modifies the definition of a "child in need of protection or services" by removing the clause that allows children under ten to be placed in the foster care system for delinquent acts, with a temporary exception for violent crimes committed by those aged ten and older.