HF2125 Summary

• Increases excise taxes on alcohol beverages including distilled spirits (from $5.03 to $17.69 per gallon), wine (varying increases by alcohol content), fermented malt beverages (increases from $2.40 to $35.32 per 31-gallon barrel for beverages with 3.2% alcohol or less), and miniatures (from 14 cents to 24 cents per bottle), with taxes effective for sales after June 30, 2009.

• Requires courts to impose $125 chemical dependency assessment charges on persons convicted of impaired driving (section 169A.20), school bus/Head Start bus driving under influence (section 169A.31), or violent crimes, with $5 additional surcharge for repeat impaired driving offenders within five years.

• Mandates chemical use assessments for defendants convicted of impaired driving or arrested for these offenses but convicted of other crimes arising from the circumstances, following standards in Minnesota Rules parts 9530.6600 through 9530.6655.

• Establishes care coordination process whereby counties receiving grants must provide case management services to individuals with chemical dependency treatment needs identified through assessments, including discharge planning, follow-up, and monitoring.

• Appropriates funds from chemical dependency assessment charges and alcohol tax revenue to the Commissioner of Public Safety, Commissioner of Human Services, Supreme Court, and Commissioner of Health for compliance checks, domestic violence prevention, repeat DUI offender pilot programs, court services, and underage drinking prevention initiatives.