Police officers would receive protection from discipline over prosecutors’ evidence findings

State, county, and city law enforcement agencies would be barred from firing, disciplining, or threatening officers for the covered reasons. The protection would cover Minnesota peace officers facing action by state, county, or city law enforcement agencies. The protection would apply when a prosecutor finds that an officer failed to identify or share evidence that could clear a defendant in an ongoing prosecution. It would also apply when an officer appears on a Brady-Giglio list, which flags officers a prosecutor considers impaired by evidence disclosure or credibility concerns.

The Minnesota public safety commissioner would form a task force to study how officers are placed on Brady-Giglio lists and how those lists are used. Members would include the attorney general or a designee, a judge, and representatives of police and prosecutor organizations. The group would recommend how to share officer personnel records, manage lists statewide, investigate officers impartially, and provide fair rules and appeals for adding or removing names. Members would serve without pay, and the group would meet at least monthly. This section would take effect the day after final enactment. It would require a first meeting by August 1, 2025, and findings and recommendations to public safety lawmakers by December 1, 2025. The group would end when it submits its report.