[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today signed Chapter 19, House File 45 into law as passed unanimously by the Minnesota Legislature.

In 2021, the legislature established a procedure under which certain current or former members of the United States military charged with crimes could be eligible for deferred prosecution if the crime stemmed from a service-related disability. Under the statute, a veteran who pled guilty or was found guilty would be assessed for eligibility in the program. If eligible, the veteran would have the opportunity to have the case dismissed after completing probation.

This bill amends the existing statute to allow courts to determine whether a veteran is eligible for deferred prosecution before a finding of guilt.