SF666

SF666 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Duties modification of certain facilities that confine people relating to phone calls and other communication services

Related bill: HF1861

AI Generated Summary

Senate Bill SF No 666 aims to enhance public safety and human services by ensuring that individuals confined in Minnesota's state-controlled juvenile and adult facilities have access to free communication services. This includes voice communication and may also feature video communication, email, or electronic messaging services. These services should not incur charges for either the sender or receiver.

The bill emphasizes that the introduction of these communication services should not replace in-person visitation rights at these facilities, except under specific emergency conditions like a declared emergency or a natural disaster.

Additionally, restrictions will be maintained on communication services to abide by any existing legal orders such as protection or no-contact orders.

The bill also mandates that the facilities cannot generate revenue from these communication services, although they can continue to collect previous contract-based commissions until these contracts are renegotiated or expire.

Furthermore, the Minnesota Department of Corrections is required to annually report on the usage, expenses, and contract statuses of these communication services to help monitor and optimize their implementation.

The definitions section clarifies what constitutes voice and other forms of communication, ensuring all terms are clearly understood and applied appropriately across various settings governed by the commissioner of corrections and the commissioner of human services.

Bill text versions

Introduction PDF file

Actions

Date	Chamber	Where	Type	Name	Committee Name
January 26, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Introduction and first reading
January 26, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Introduction and first reading
January 26, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Referred to	Judiciary and Public Safety
January 26, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Referred to	Judiciary and Public Safety
March 23, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Comm report: To pass and re-referred to	Health and Human Services
March 23, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Comm report: To pass and re-referred to	Health and Human Services
March 26, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Withdrawn and re-referred to	Human Services
March 26, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Withdrawn and re-referred to	Human Services
April 06, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Author added
April 06, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Author added

Citations

[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill amends section 241.252, specifying restrictions on voice communication services for confined persons.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies that nothing in this section allows a confined person to violate an active protection order or similar directive."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "241.252",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 2"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Amendments to visitation program requirements in section 241.252.",
      "modified": [
        "Specifies that video calls must not replace in-person visitation programs."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "241.252",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 4"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The reporting requirements for communication services expenditures by the Department of Corrections under section 241.016 have been modified.",
      "modified": [
        "The annual performance report must now include additional details regarding communication contracts and expenditures."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "241.016",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill references section 123.1 regarding declared emergencies that may affect visitation programs.",
      "modified": [
        "Provides exemptions to visitation program requirements during declared emergencies."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "123.1",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Section 253B.03 subdivision 3 is referenced in relation to communication service restrictions for civilly committed persons.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "253B.03",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 3"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Section 253D.19 is referenced concerning limitations on communication services for civilly committed persons.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "253D.19",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]