HF4314

Purpose

• To strengthen public safety by increasing criminal penalties and expanding the scope of the doxxing crime. The bill amends Minnesota law to create a specific offense called the dissemination of personal information about a law enforcement official and to impose harsher penalties in certain circumstances.

Main Provisions

• Creation of a new offense: Dissemination of Personal Information About a Law Enforcement Official.
  • It is a crime to knowingly and without consent publicly disclose personal information about a law enforcement official or the official’s family or household member if doing so creates an imminent and serious threat to safety.
  • Publicly available information can include details shared through the Internet.
• Definitions included:
  • Law enforcement official: includes police officers and people employed by a law enforcement agency.
  • Personal information: home phone number, personal cell number, personal email address, name, photographs, home address, directions to a home, and photographs of a home, among other details.
  • Family or household member: as defined in Minnesota law.
• Penalties:
  • If the victim is a law enforcement official or a family/household member of a law enforcement official, the offense is a gross misdemeanor (more serious than a standard misdemeanor).
  • If the offense results in great bodily harm or death to the victim or the victim’s family, it is a felony with potential imprisonment up to two years and/or a fine up to $4,000.
  • For a second or subsequent violation, the offense is a gross misdemeanor or felony with the same potential penalties (up to two years in prison and up to a $4,000 fine), depending on the circumstances.
• Scope and intent:
  • The bill targets the public sharing of personal information that creates a credible threat to safety, not just any online posting.
  • It focuses specifically on information about law enforcement officials and their families, expanding the traditional scope of “doxxing.”

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces a dedicated offense addressing the dissemination of personal information about law enforcement officials and their families.
• Elevates penalties for doxxing when the victim is a law enforcement official or their family member.
• Specifies that harm resulting in great bodily harm or death can lead to felony charges, with corresponding prison and fine penalties.
• Clarifies that information shared online or through other public means falls under this offense.

Practical Impact

• Persons who publicly share sensitive contact information or home details about a law enforcement official or their family, and that sharing creates a serious threat, could face criminal charges.
• The bill adds stronger consequences for repeat offenses and for situations where the sharing causes serious harm or death.

Relevant Terms - Dissemination of personal information - Doxxing - Law enforcement official - Personal information (home address, home phone number, personal cell number, personal email address, name, photographs) - Family or household member - Imminent and serious threat - Publicly available / Internet - Misdemeanor - Gross misdemeanor - Felony - Imprisonment - Fine - Second or subsequent violation