Task Force on Mandatory Minimum Sentences created.

HF 687 establishes a Task Force on Mandatory Minimum Sentences in Minnesota to study how these sentencing requirements impact the justice system. The task force, composed of corrections officials, defense attorneys, county attorneys, victims' rights representatives, and people directly affected by mandatory minimums, will collect data on charging, conviction, and sentencing patterns for offenses like drug crimes and violent offenses covered under specific Minnesota statutes. It will analyze whether current practices promote public safety and sentencing equity, including cases where judges or prosecutors mitigated sentences. The task force must submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 15, 2026, but does not change sentencing laws itself.