Fourth-degree assault crime related to transit operators expansion to include transportation network company drivers

This bill expands Minnesota's fourth-degree assault law to include transportation network company (TNC) drivers - like those for Uber or Lyft - as "transit operators" protected under the statute. It amends Minnesota Statutes section 609.2231, subdivision 11, to explicitly cover TNC drivers operating personal vehicles while providing rides. The law makes it a gross misdemeanor to assault these drivers or throw bodily fluids at them during work, with penalties of up to 364 days in jail or a $3,000 fine. The change takes effect August 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed on or after that date.