Criminal penalties increased and scope of the doxxing crime increased.

A bill for an act

relating to public safety; increasing criminal penalties and expanding the scope of

the doxxing crime; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.5151.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.5151, is amended to read:

609.5151 DISSEMINATION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
deleted text begin
ABOUT LAW

ENFORCEMENT
deleted text end
PROHIBITED; PENALTY.

Subdivision 1.

Definitions.

As used in this section:

(1) "family or household member" has the meaning given in section
518B.01, subdivision

2;

(2) "law enforcement official" means both peace officers as defined in section
626.84
,

subdivision 1, and persons employed by a law enforcement agency; and

(3) "personal information" means a home telephone number, personal cell number,

personal email address, name of the
deleted text begin
official's
deleted text end
new text begin
person's
new text end
minor child, photographs of the
deleted text begin

official's
deleted text end
new text begin
person's
new text end
minor child, home address, directions to a home, or photographs of a

home.

Subd. 2.

Crime described.

deleted text begin
(a)
deleted text end
It is a
deleted text begin
misdemeanor for a person
deleted text end
new text begin
crime
new text end
to knowingly and

without consent make publicly available, including but not limited to through the Internet,

personal information about
deleted text begin
a law enforcement official or an official's
deleted text end
new text begin
another person or a
new text end

family or household member
new text begin
of that person
new text end
, if:

(1) the public availability of information poses an imminent and serious threat to the
deleted text begin

official's
deleted text end
new text begin
other person's
new text end
safety or the safety of
deleted text begin
an official's
deleted text end
new text begin
that person's
new text end
family or household

member; and

(2) the person making the information publicly available knows or reasonably should

know of the imminent and serious threat.

new text begin

Subd. 3.

new text end

new text begin

Penalty.

new text end

new text begin

(a) A violation of subdivision 2 is a misdemeanor unless the victim

is a law enforcement official or a family or household member of a law enforcement official,

in which case it is a gross misdemeanor.

new text end

(b) A
deleted text begin
person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor if the person violates paragraph (a) and

a law enforcement official or an official's family or household member
deleted text end
new text begin
violation of

subdivision 2 is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than two years or to the

payment of a fine of not more than $4,000, or both, if the victim or the victim's family or

household member
new text end
suffers great bodily harm or death as a result of the violation.

(c) A person who is convicted of a second or subsequent violation of this section is guilty

of a
deleted text begin
gross misdemeanor
deleted text end
new text begin
felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than two years or

to the payment of a fine of not more than $4,000, or both
new text end
.

new text begin

EFFECTIVE DATE.

new text end

new text begin

This section is effective August 1, 2026, and applies to crimes

committed on or after that date.

new text end