Detention and transport of suspects in vehicles that are not designed for detaining humans and designated as law enforcement vehicles prohibited.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Finke, Kozlowski, Moller, Lee, K., Hollins, Feist, Johnson, P., Pinto, Tabke, Clardy, Berg, Greenman, Frazier, Huot, Gomez, Jones, Falconer, Howard, Smith, Pursell, Coulter, Acomb, Greene, Kraft, Fischer, Virnig, Hicks, Noor, Buck, Luger-Nikolai, Curran, Xiong, Kotyza-Witthuhn, Freiberg, Wolgamott
Last action: 2026-02-26
Official status: Authors added Freiberg and Wolgamott
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Prohibiting Detention and Transport in Unsafe Vehicles

This law stops police from keeping people in vehicles not meant for human transport unless there is an emergency.

What This Bill Does

Makes it illegal to detain or transport suspects in vehicles that are not designed for humans.
Requires the vehicle to be owned or leased by a law enforcement agency and have clear markings showing which agency owns it.
Specifies that each person being detained must have a seat and seat belt.

Who It Names or Affects

Police officers who detain or transport suspects
Suspects who are detained or transported by police

Terms To Know

Peace Officer: A person with the authority to enforce laws, including local and federal law enforcement agents.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if a police officer violates this rule.
The exact penalties for breaking this law are not detailed in the summary text.

Bill History

2026-02-26 House
Authors added Freiberg and Wolgamott
2026-02-25 House
Author added Kotyza-Witthuhn
2026-02-19 House
Author added Curran and Xiong
2026-02-17 House
Introduction and first reading, referred to Public Safety Finance and Policy

Official Summary Text

Detention and transport of suspects in vehicles that are not designed for detaining humans and designated as law enforcement vehicles prohibited.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

A bill for an act

relating to public safety; prohibiting the detention and transport of suspects in

vehicles that are not designed for detaining humans and designated as law

enforcement vehicles; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter

629.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

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[629.321] DETENTION AND TRANSPORT OF SUSPECTS.

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Subdivision 1.

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Definition.

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For purposes of this section, "peace officer" has the meaning

given in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), and also includes any officer or agent

of a federal law enforcement agency or any law enforcement agency of another state or any

person acting on behalf of a federal law enforcement agency or law enforcement agency of

another state.

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Subd. 2.

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Prohibition.

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If a peace officer needs to detain or transport a person in a vehicle,

the vehicle must:

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(1) be specifically designed to transport humans safely;

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(2) be owned or leased by a law enforcement agency; and

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(3) contain conspicuous markings that identify the law enforcement agency that owns

or leases the vehicle.

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At a minimum, a vehicle must be equipped with a seat and seat belt for each person being

detained or transported to satisfy clause (1).

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Subd. 3.

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Exceptions.

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(a) Subdivision 2 does not apply when exigent circumstances

present an imminent danger to the life or physical safety of a peace officer, a person being

detained or transported, or bystanders.

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(b) Subdivision 2, clause (3), does not apply to investigations that require a peace officer

to be undercover to protect the safety of the officer or others.

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