Criminal Justice (Children)

This bill updates Minnesota laws to change the age at which a child can be classified as a delinquent child or a child in need of protection or services. It primarily affects the state's juvenile justice and child welfare systems by delaying the implementation of a previous rule that would have excluded children under 13 from these categories. The legislation sets a new effective date of August 1, 2027, ensuring that children under 13 who commit acts before turning 13 will no longer be processed under these specific legal definitions after that date. By removing the exclusion for young children, the bill allows the state to apply its current definitions to their actions once the new timeline begins.

The Protecting Families and Children Act establishes a legal framework in Minnesota to restrict gender transition procedures for minors and strengthen parental rights in education and healthcare. It prohibits the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors, defines biological sex based on genetics and anatomy, and requires parental consent for certain school activities. The bill also creates a new felony offense for grooming minors for sexual exploitation, repeals laws banning non-coercive talk therapy, and restores home-state jurisdiction in child custody disputes.

This bill allocates $5 million from the state's general fund in fiscal year 2027 to provide supplemental grants to existing youth intervention programs in Minnesota. The funding is intended to help these programs address immediate or emerging needs related to trauma experienced by the youth they serve. Each grant can be up to $50,000, and recipients must submit a work plan describing their specific intervention needs. The commissioner may use up to 10% of the total appropriation for administrative costs, and this is a one-time funding allocation.

HF 277 requires organizations receiving money from Minnesota’s environment and natural resources trust fund for children’s services to conduct criminal background checks on all employees, volunteers, and contractors who work with children. This applies specifically to "children's service providers" as defined by state law, including those receiving trust fund appropriations. Organizations must certify these background checks are performed as part of their required work plan submissions to the commission. The requirement takes effect July 1, 2025, for all trust fund recipients operating on or after that date.