Bipartisan Legislators Announce New Laws to Address Domestic Violence That Take Effect August 1

(l-r): Senator Bonnie Westlin (Plymouth – DFL), Rep. Dave Pinto (Saint Paul – DFL), Rep. Paul Novotny (Elk River – R), Rep. Marion Rarick (Buffalo – R), Rep. Kelly Moller (Shoreview – DFL), Senator Heather Gustafson (Vadnais Heights – DFL), Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten (Saint Paul – DFL), Rep. Athena Hollins (Saint Paul – DFL). Not able to attend: Rep. Peggy Scott (Andover – R).

Minnesota lawmakers hosted a news conference Thursday to highlight new domestic violence laws to strengthen protections for survivors, close longstanding legal loopholes, and improve accountability across the criminal justice system. Speaking at a Capitol news conference, legislators from both parties outlined reforms aimed at reducing intimate partner homicides, improving firearm surrender compliance, expanding law enforcement authority to arrest domestic abuse suspects, stabilizing funding for victim services, and helping survivors escape financial ties to their abusers.

The package comes as lawmakers point to persistent rates of domestic violence fatalities in Minnesota. Legislators said an average of 21 intimate partner homicides occur annually in the state, with nearly half involving firearms.

Tracking the Surrender of Firearms

One of the most significant changes focuses on ensuring that individuals prohibited from possessing firearms actually surrender them. Under the new law, courts will now be required to hold a follow-up hearing within 10 days after a firearm surrender affidavit is filed to verify compliance.

Previously, individuals subject to firearm surrender orders were required to submit an affidavit stating they had turned over their weapons, but lawmakers said there was little oversight to ensure that requirement was met. “What the miss was — nobody was looking,” said Rep. Marion Rarick (R–Maple Lake). “Victim survivors were saying ‘nobody’s paying attention.'”

Under the revised law, people prohibited from possessing firearms must also surrender their permits to purchase and carry. Petitioners seeking protection orders will also be asked whether firearms are present in the home and, if so, where they are located — information lawmakers said will help law enforcement safely recover weapons.

Supporters said the changes were negotiated on a bipartisan basis by Rep. Peggy Scott and Rep. Kelly Moller, preserving some existing provisions, such as allowing firearm transfers to third parties, while imposing stricter oversight and reporting requirements.

The need for reform, lawmakers argued, is evident in court compliance data. A review conducted after a 2016 investigation found that affidavits documenting firearm surrender were filed in only about 4 percent of applicable protection order cases. More recent court data show improvement but still indicate widespread noncompliance. “The average now is 87 percent don’t file,” Rarick said. “While it came up a little bit, it’s still abysmal.”

Legislators said they hope the new court review process will significantly improve compliance.

Arresting Domestic Abuse Offenders

Another major reform expands the amount of time law enforcement officers have to arrest suspected domestic abuse offenders based on probable cause in misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases. Previously, officers generally had 72 hours after a report was made. The new law extends that window to 14 days.

State Sen. Bonnie Westlin (D-Plymouth), a family law attorney, said the change recognizes the realities of domestic violence investigations.

“Domestic violence is not a private matter; it’s a public safety issue,” Westlin said. “Too often, domestic violence is treated as a single incident, when we know that it is most often a pattern of escalating abuse.”

Westlin said survivors frequently contact law enforcement multiple times before an arrest occurs and that delayed responses can place victims at greater risk. She pointed to the 2024 killing of Allison Lussier, who repeatedly sought help from law enforcement before being murdered by her abuser. Reviews conducted after her death identified missed opportunities for intervention.

“When officers have probable cause to arrest, but they can’t locate a suspect right away, they should not lose the opportunity to act within a reasonable amount of time,” Westlin said.

In addition to extending arrest authority, the legislation requires officers to promptly seek arrest warrants when suspects cannot immediately be located. It also establishes more consistent statewide reporting standards and documentation requirements for domestic violence investigations.

Funding Resources

Lawmakers also highlighted efforts to preserve crime victim services amid declining federal funding.

Sen. Claire Oumou Verbeten (D-Saint Paul) said the Legislature approved funding to close a $12 million gap identified by the Minnesota Office of Justice Programs, preventing potential reductions in services for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. Those services include court advocacy, hospital accompaniment during sexual assault examinations, emergency shelter, housing assistance, confidential address programs, child advocacy centers and victim compensation assistance.

“These are very essential life-saving services,” Verbeten said.

She warned, however, that the funding challenge remains unresolved. “We’re still facing this crisis of ongoing funding,” she said. “It’s something that we’re going to have to come back to next session.” Verbeten said lawmakers have repeatedly filled budget gaps as federal support has declined over several years.

“It’s really falling to states at this point to fund crime victim services because that money is just not coming from the federal government,” she said.

Ownership Rights

Sen. Heather Gustafson (D-Vadnais Heights) highlighted another provision designed to help survivors regain financial independence by allowing courts to extinguish an abuser’s ownership interest in certain contracts for deed when the abuser has abandoned the property and stopped making payments.

Previously, survivors often remained legally tied to abusive partners through shared property agreements, even when they continued making payments on their own.

“What it means is the survivor of a domestic abuse situation is able to keep the home that they have been paying for and live in,” Gustafson said. “Stable housing is critical to recovery.”

Lawmakers said additional work remains despite this year’s legislative package.

Rep. Kelly Moller (D-Shoreview) noted that the Legislature created a task force charged with improving Minnesota’s response to domestic violence. The panel has been assigned 16 objectives, including developing model policies for lethality assessments by law enforcement, reviewing domestic violence training across agencies, identifying barriers victims face when reporting abuse and evaluating public health strategies to prevent violence.

Moller encouraged Minnesotans to familiarize themselves with the new laws, saying greater public awareness will make the reforms more effective.

“If you or a loved one are experiencing domestic violence,” she said, “you can call the statewide 24-hour Day One Crisis Line.”

Lawmakers said they hope the reforms, taken together, will strengthen protections for survivors, improve accountability within the legal system and ultimately reduce domestic violence deaths across Minnesota.

Note that we do not have underwriting to support our Violence Prevention coverage, so what we are able to cover is largely done for free. Please support our work as a member:

Related Stories