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SF 1047

Age of consent increase from 16 to 18 in criminal sexual conduct offenses involving offenders who are over 21 years of age

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Liz Boldon and 4 co-sponsors

SF 1047 raises Minnesota's age of consent to 18 for offenders over 21, criminalizing sexual contact between adults 21+ and minors aged 16-17.

Author added Boldon
#crimesandcriminals #publicsafetyandpublicsafetydepartment
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Bill Summary · SF 1047

Legislative bill overview

SF 1047 would raise the age of consent from 16 to 18 in Minnesota's criminal sexual conduct statutes, but only for offenders aged 21 and older. This creates a tiered system where sexual contact between a 16- or 17-year-old and someone under 21 would be treated differently than contact with someone 21 or older. The bill is currently in the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee following its introduction in February 2025.

Why is this important

Age of consent laws directly affect criminal liability and sentencing for sexual offenses involving minors. This change would criminalize conduct currently legal in Minnesota, potentially increasing prosecution and incarceration for offenders in their early twenties while leaving a legal gap for younger adults. The outcome affects both victim protection frameworks and criminal justice exposure for young adults.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition of consent capacity: Disagreement over whether 16-17 year-olds have sufficient maturity to consent to adults 21+, versus whether this represents age-appropriate peer relationships
  • Two-tier system logic: Questions about why the age threshold is 21 specifically (not 18, 19, or 25) and whether creating different rules for different age gaps is coherent policy
  • Prosecutorial impact: Concerns about whether this increases incarceration for young adults with minimal age differences from partners, versus arguments it provides necessary protection from older predators targeting teenagers

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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