1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to crimes; authorizing a $1 assessment fee on
1.3 	state identification cards and drivers' licenses to
1.4 	fund the Minnesota Financial Crimes Task Force;
1.5 	providing for the organization of regional districts;
1.6 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 299A.68,
1.7 	subdivisions 4, 6a, by adding subdivisions.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 299A.68,
1.10 	subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.11 		Subd. 4.Statewide commander.  The participating local
1.12 	agencies shall select a commander to direct the task force.  The
1.13 	commander shall make tactical decisions regarding the
1.14 	commencement, continuation, and conclusion of investigations of
1.15 	crimes in consultation with agencies participating in the task
1.16 	force. The statewide commander shall also have the sole
1.17 	authority to bar an agency or investigators from participating
1.18 	in the task force immediately for cause; such as, failing to
1.19 	complete assignments, failing to report cases, failing to
1.20 	properly account for funding or assigned time by the task force,
1.21 	failing to advise the commander of material facts involving an
1.22 	investigation, and any inappropriate behavior or investigations
1.23 	as defined in subdivision 3.The commander shall also report
1.24 	annually to the commissioner of public safety as required in
1.25 	subdivision 10.

1.26 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 299A.68,
2.1 	subdivision 6a, is amended to read:
2.2 		Subd. 6a.Regional offices districts.  The statewide 
2.3 	commander, as funding permits, may establish seven four regional
2.4 	offices of the task force to investigate financial crimes
2.5 	throughout the state and the regional areas districts to conduct
2.6 	investigations. The regional offices must originally be
2.7 	established based on current state judicial districts, with one
2.8 	regional office covering the First, Second, Fourth, and Tenth
2.9 	Judicial Districts.  The commander must establish a separate
2.10 	regional office in each of the Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh,
2.11 	Eighth, and Ninth Judicial Districts.  The regional offices must
2.12 	be composed of participating agencies from each of the
2.13 	designated geographic areas.  In consultation with the
2.14 	commander, the participating agencies of each regional office
2.15 	must select a supervisor to direct the office.  The regional
2.16 	office supervisors must report to the commander.  If necessary,
2.17 	the advisory committee established in subdivision 8 may modify
2.18 	the geographic boundary of a regional office.These four
2.19 	regional districts shall be defined by the advisory committee
2.20 	and directed at counties outside of Hennepin, Anoka, Ramsey,
2.21 	Dakota, Washington, and Scott.  Within these regional districts,
2.22 	cities or county law enforcement agencies may apply for
2.23 	individual funding grants to conduct financial crime
2.24 	investigations.  Any agency participating must have established
2.25 	a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the statewide task
2.26 	force.  The statewide commander shall review all competing
2.27 	requests and determine which regional district (cities or
2.28 	county) shall be selected and submitted to the advisory
2.29 	committee for final approval.

2.30 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 299A.68, is
2.31 	amended by adding a subdivision to read:
2.32 		Subd. 7a.Financial crimes task force funding
2.33 	account. The Minnesota financial crimes task force funding
2.34 	account is created in the state treasury.  Money received from
2.35 	assessments under subdivision 7b is deposited into the account.
2.36 	Money in the account is earmarked for the task force and must be
3.1 	used for investigation of crimes defined under subdivision 2,
3.2 	paragraph (b).  All fees collected by the commissioner of public
3.3 	safety under subdivision 7b must be deposited in the state
3.4 	treasury and credited to the Minnesota financial crimes task
3.5 	force funding account.  Assessment of the funds begins July 1,
3.6 	2005.  This section does not expire and the funds shall be
3.7 	collected from year to year.

3.8 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 299A.68, is
3.9 	amended by adding a subdivision to read:
3.10 		Subd. 7b.Assessment fees. Each Minnesota state
3.11 	identification card or driver's license issued by the state of
3.12 	Minnesota shall be assessed a fee of $1.  A fee of $1 shall also
3.13 	be assessed for renewal, replacement, or reinstatement cards or
3.14 	licenses.  The persons collecting assessments shall remit all
3.15 	assessments to the commissioner of public safety for deposit in
3.16 	a special account for the Minnesota Financial Crimes Task
3.17 	Force.  The task force account shall be transferred on or before
3.18 	each fiscal accounting calendar quarter during each year on a
3.19 	recurring basis.  The total assessment for each funding quarter
3.20 	based on the fiscal accounting calendar quarter shall be
3.21 	reported and transferred to the approved fiscal agent account
3.22 	for appropriate fund disbursements and accounts as described in
3.23 	subdivisions 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

3.24 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 299A.68, is
3.25 	amended by adding a subdivision to read:
3.26 		Subd. 13.Victims assistance program. (a) The task force
3.27 	may establish a victims assistance program to assist victims of
3.28 	economic crimes and provide prevention and awareness programs.
3.29 	The task force may retain outside services of not-for-profit
3.30 	organizations to assist the development and delivery systems in
3.31 	aiding victims of economic crimes defined in subdivision 2,
3.32 	paragraph (b).  The victims services shall not provide any
3.33 	financial assistance to victims, but are limited to helping
3.34 	victims obtain police assistance and directing victims how to
3.35 	protect personal accounts and identities.  Services include a
3.36 	victim 1-800 number, fax number, Web site, telephone service
4.1 	Monday through Friday, e-mail response, and interfaces to other
4.2 	helpful Web sites.  Victims' information gathered by the Victim
4.3 	Task Force Assistance Center shall be covered by the Data
4.4 	Privacy Act under chapter 13.
4.5 	(b) The task force may post or communicate through public
4.6 	service announcements in newspapers, radio, television, cable
4.7 	access, billboards, Internet, Web sites, and other normal
4.8 	advertising channels a financial reward of up to $2,000 for tips
4.9 	leading to the apprehension and successful prosecution of
4.10 	individuals committing crimes defined under subdivision 2,
4.11 	paragraph (b).  All rewards must meet the Minnesota Financial
4.12 	Crimes Task Force Advisory Committee standards.  The release of
4.13 	funds shall be made to an individual whose information leads to
4.14 	the apprehension and prosecution of offenders committing
4.15 	economic or financial crimes against citizens or businesses in
4.16 	the state of Minnesota.  All rewards paid to an individual shall
4.17 	be reported to the Department of Revenue along with the
4.18 	individual's Social Security number.