Reporting requirement on accidental discharges of firearms by peace officers

A bill for an act

relating to public safety; requiring reporting on accidental discharges of firearms

by peace officers; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 626.553, subdivision

2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 626.553, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Discharge firearm; kill animal.

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(a)
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Whenever a peace officer discharges a

firearm in the course of duty, other than for training purposes or the killing of an animal

that is sick, injured, or dangerous, notification shall be filed within 30 days of the incident

by the officer's department head with the commissioner of public safety. The commissioner

of public safety shall forward a copy of the filing to the Board of Peace Officer Standards

and Training. The notification shall contain information concerning the reason for and

circumstances surrounding discharge of the firearm. The commissioner of public safety

shall file a report with the legislature by November 15 of each even-numbered year containing

summary information concerning use of firearms by peace officers.

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(b) If the discharge under paragraph (a) is accidental or due to the officer's negligence,

the notification to the commissioner and the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board

and subsequent report to the legislature must include the make, model, and caliber of the

firearm, and information on any of the firearm's accessories, including but not limited to

lights, lasers, and holsters. The required information on accessories must specify whether

the accessory was part of the manufacturing process or was an after-market addition. This

paragraph expires August 1, 2031.

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