Commission Formed
Governor Tim Pawlenty formed the Governor’s Commission on Sex Offender Policy to review existing policies and laws, recommend changes, and identify best practices from around the country so that the public is better protected from sex offenders. The group is to focus first on placement of elderly and disabled sex offenders; conditional medical release requirements; civil commitment procedures; and sex offender sentencing and supervision practices.  Policy recommendations are to be provided to Governor Pawlenty.

Report Available
Governor's Commission on Sex Offender Policy Final Report, January 2005.   pdf format

Members and Staff
The commission is comprised of individuals who are not current decision-makers within state government so that the issues receive an arms-length review. Officials from within state government will, however, be invited to testify and provide their input. 

Members include:

The Honorable Esther Tomljanovich, former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice (chair)
Jim Backstrom, Dakota County Attorney
Laura Budd, Public Defense Board Chair
Terry Dempsey, Minnesota Board on Aging
Carla Ferrucci, Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault Executive Director
Kris Flaten, State Advisory Council on Mental Health Chair
Gerald Kaplan, Alpha Human Services Executive Director
Brian Schlueter, Otter Tail County Sheriff
Jerry Soma, Anoka County Human Services Director
Steve Strachan, Lakeville Chief of Police and former state representative
John Stuart, State Public Defender
Susan Voigt, attorney, representative of care providers; and
      

Harry Kennedy, the State Sex Offender Policy Coordinator, can be reached at harry.kennedy@state.mn.us, phone 651/361/7232, fax 651/642-0414. 

Work Plan
The Governor’s Commission on Sex Offender Policy Work Plan includes objectives and strategies of the commission.  Public comment forms for each meeting are also included in the work plan.

Work plan  -   pdf format

Commission Meetings
Commission meetings are held from 9 a.m. until noon in Room 200 of the State Office Building in St. Paul.  Meeting dates and topic areas follow:

September 8
Topic area: Commission introduction, statutory overview, and approval of work plan
Meeting recap -   pdf format

September 15
Topic area: Sentencing of sex offenders
Meeting recap -   pdf format

September 22
Topic area: Supervision of sex offenders

September 29
Topic area: Best practices – Group A

October 6
Topic area: Assessment, screening, and referral of sex offenders for civil commitment
Meeting recap -   pdf format

October 13
Topic area: Best practices – Group B
Meeting recap -   pdf format

October 20
Topic area: Mid-Point review meeting; review summary of public comments, preliminary discussion of recommendations
Meeting recap -   pdf format

October 27
Topic area: State health care options when treating sex offenders
Meeting recap -   pdf format

November 3
Topic area: Conditional medical release practice
Meeting recap -   pdf format

November 10
Topic area: Best practices discussion – Group C
Meeting recap -   pdf format

November 17
Variance and set aside practice

November 24
2nd drafting session - No testimony taken

December 1
3rd drafting session - No testimony taken

January 4
Supplemental meeting following the Governor's request for additional detail