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SF206 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Felony murder and aiding and abetting murder provisions modification, certain retroactive relief for certain aiding and abetting murder convictions authorization, and aiding and abetting felony murder task force revival

Related bill: HF1575

AI Generated Summary

The bill SF No 206 aims to reform how individuals are held legally responsible in cases of felony murder and aiding and abetting murder. Specifically, it revises the conditions under which someone can be found criminally liable when another person causes a death. Key changes include:

  1. Introducing stricter criteria for criminal liability in cases where someone aids, advises, or conspires with another person to commit murder, requiring intentional action and explicit intent to cause death.
  2. Redefining liability for being a major participant in a felony that leads to death, focusing on actions displaying extreme indifference to human life and direct participation like using or providing a deadly weapon, causing substantial harm, or impeding help during the felony.
  3. It also proposes retroactive relief for certain past convictions under these crimes, meaning some previously convicted individuals might have their cases reevaluated under the new standards.
  4. Additionally, the bill calls for reviving a task force dedicated to studying and reporting on issues related to aiding and abetting in felony murders.

Overall, these changes aim to make the legal standards for implicating someone in crimes leading to death more precise and to ensure these standards focus on the individual’s direct intentions and actions.

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
January 15, 2025HouseFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
January 15, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
January 15, 2025HouseFloorActionReferred toJudiciary and Public Safety
January 15, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toJudiciary and Public Safety
March 23, 2025SenateFloorActionComm report: To pass as amended and re-refer toState and Local Government

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "A person cannot be held liable unless they intentionally aided or conspired with intent to cause death."
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "This bill modifies the legal liabilities relating to aiding and abetting under section 609.05.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies and refines conditions under which a person can be held liable for aiding and abetting murder."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "609.05",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 2a"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        ""
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "This legislation amends provisions under section 609.185 regarding felony murder.",
      "modified": [
        "Modifies criteria for criminal liability linked to another's actions causing death."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "609.185",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        ""
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "This bill amends section 609.19 related to second-degree intentional murder.",
      "modified": [
        "Details conditions for criminal liability involving conspiracy or procurement to commit murder."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "609.19",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 1"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        ""
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "This section amends the provisions under subdivision 2 of section 609.19 regarding unintentional murder.",
      "modified": [
        "Defines the term 'major participant' and specifies criteria for criminal liability."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "609.19",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 2"
  }
]

Sponsors