Settlement provision of certain claims

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Cal Bahr and 2 co-sponsors

The bill authorizes a General Fund appropriation to the Department of Corrections in 2027 to fully and finally settle qualifying claims from injuries or losses to incarcerated indi

Rule 45; subst. General Orders HF5074, SF indefinitely postponed

#claims #government-state #appropriations

Purpose and intent

The bill provides for the settlement and final payment of certain claims against the State of Minnesota.

Specifically, it authorizes appropriations to the Department of Corrections to settle and fully pay claims arising from:

Losses suffered by individuals while incarcerated in a state correctional facility.
Injuries suffered by and medical services provided to persons who were performing community service or sentence-to-service work for correctional purposes or while incarcerated in a state correctional facility.

The aim is to settle these claims on a full and final basis under Minnesota statutes related to settlements (notably sections 3.738 and 3.739).

Key provisions

Appropriation and payment authority:

The Department of Corrections is authorized to receive an appropriation from the General Fund in fiscal year 2027.
The purpose of the appropriation is for full and final payment of qualifying claims under Minnesota Statutes §§ 3.738 and 3.739.

Eligible claims:

Claims arising from losses experienced by individuals while they were incarcerated in a state correctional facility.
Claims arising from injuries and related medical services provided to individuals who were:
Performing community service or sentence-to-service work for correctional purposes, or
Incarcerated in a state correctional facility.

Payment timing and availability:

The appropriation is available until June 30, 2027.
Payments under this appropriation are intended to be full and final settlements of the eligible claims.

Administrative details:

The section specifies that funds are to be appropriated from the General Fund to the commissioner of corrections.
The language indicates an emphasis on settlement of these claims pursuant to the referenced statutes, ensuring finality of liability for such incidents.

Who is affected

Primary: The Minnesota Department of Corrections (agency responsible for processing settlements).

Claimants: Individuals who suffered losses or injuries (including medical service recipients) while:

Incarcerated in a state correctional facility, or
Performing community service or sentence-to-service work for correctional purposes.

The State of Minnesota, as represented by the Department of Corrections, would incur financial liability for these settlements.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction and first readings:

Introduced and referred to the Finance committee on 2026-04-22.

Fiscal year and availability:

The appropriation is for fiscal year 2027.
Funds must be expended for full and final settlement of the specified claims.
The appropriation is available through June 30, 2027.

Related statutes:

Settlements would be made under Minnesota Statutes sections 3.738 and 3.739, which govern certain settlements of claims against the state.

Potential impact and considerations

Financial impact:

Creates a dedicated General Fund appropriation to settle certain claims, potentially reducing ongoing litigation risk and administrative costs related to disputed claims.

Legal/compliance impact:

Enables final settlements, providing closure for claimants and the state.
Aligns with existing statutory framework (3.738, 3.739) governing settlements.

Operational impact:

Requires the Department of Corrections to administer and finalize settlements within the 2027-07 window, subject to available funds.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to the existing statutes (3.738 and 3.739) to highlight how the settlement process is standardized or any notable differences.

Bill