1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; establishing a working group to examine crimes against 
1.3 	vulnerable adults; requiring a report; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. WORKING GROUP EXAMINING CRIMES AGAINST VULNERABLE 
1.6 	ADULTS.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; membership. (a) A working group examining crimes 
1.8 	against vulnerable adults is established.
1.9 	(b) The commissioner of public safety shall appoint the following members of the 
1.10 	working group:
1.11 	(1) one attorney practicing elder law;
1.12 	(2) one county attorney;
1.13 	(3) one city attorney;
1.14 	(4) one representative from the Office of the Public Defender;
1.15 	(5) one representative from the Minnesota Elder Justice Center;
1.16 	(6) one representative from the Minnesota Home Care Association;
1.17 	(7) one representative from Care Providers of Minnesota;
1.18 	(8) one representative from LeadingAge Minnesota;
1.19 	(9) one representative from AARP Minnesota;
1.20 	(10) one peace officer, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 626.84; and
2.1 	(11) any additional representatives from groups or organizations that the commissioner 
2.2 	of public safety determines would help the working group perform its duties.
2.3 	(c) The following individuals shall also be members of the working group:
2.4 	(1) the commissioner of public safety or a designee;
2.5 	(2) the commissioner of human services or a designee;
2.6 	(3) the commissioner of health or a designee;
2.7 	(4) the attorney general or a designee; and
2.8 	(5) a representative of the judicial branch, appointed by the chief justice of the Supreme 
2.9 	Court.
2.10 	(d) The appointing authorities under this subdivision must complete their appointments 
2.11 	no later than July 1, 2018.
2.12 		Subd. 2.Duties; recommendations. The working group shall review existing laws 
2.13 	establishing crimes against vulnerable adults, review whether these laws appropriately 
2.14 	identify these crimes and apply appropriate penalties, and recommend any changes necessary 
2.15 	to better protect vulnerable adults.
2.16 		Subd. 3.Meetings. The commissioner of public safety or a designee shall convene the 
2.17 	first meeting of the working group no later than August 1, 2018. Members of the working 
2.18 	group shall elect a chair from among the group's members at the first meeting, and the 
2.19 	commissioner of public safety or a designee shall serve as the working group's chair until 
2.20 	a chair is elected. Meetings of the working group are open to the public.
2.21 		Subd. 4.Compensation. Members of the working group shall serve without compensation 
2.22 	or reimbursement for expenses.
2.23 		Subd. 5.Administrative support. The commissioner of public safety shall provide 
2.24 	administrative support for the working group and arrange meeting space.
2.25 		Subd. 6.Report. By January 15, 2019, the working group must submit a report with 
2.26 	findings, recommendations, and draft legislation to the chairs and ranking minority members 
2.27 	of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services policy and 
2.28 	criminal justice policy. The report must include a discussion of the benefits, problems, and 
2.29 	costs associated with any proposed changes to laws.
2.30 		Subd. 7.Expiration. The working group expires January 16, 2019, or the day after the 
2.31 	working group submits the report required under subdivision 6, whichever is earlier.

3.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

3.2 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 3.3 	$....... in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
3.4 	public safety for purposes of the working group examining crimes against vulnerable adults.