MN SF4260

Courts must determine prior to sentencing whether a defendant is a primary caretaker of a minor child, except for defendants who committed violent offenses.

A defendant who is a primary caretaker may be found particularly amenable to probation based on their relationship with the child and caregiving responsibilities.

Courts may impose probation conditions focused on the defendant-child relationship, including chemical dependency evaluation, domestic violence and anger management classes, parenting classes, and family counseling.

Courts may depart from Sentencing Guidelines, stay sentence imposition or execution, and place the defendant on probation with conditions related to vocational services, job training, and family case management.

The provision becomes effective August 1, 2020, and applies to sentences imposed on or after that date.