Rep. Peggy Bennett’s bill to expand MDE’s grooming investigations moves to ways and means after survivor testimony
March 24, 2026 | 2026 Legislature MN, Minnesota
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Rep. Peggy Bennett’s proposal to give the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) a broader lookback window for investigating educator grooming and maltreatment advanced out of the House Education Finance Committee on March 24, 2026.
The measure, House File 3489, was introduced to the committee by Bennett, who said the bill responds to gaps that leave survivors without recourse. “This is an issue we need to deal with,” Bennett said in opening remarks, asking the committee to hear testifiers who offered firsthand and investigative perspectives.
Hannah Lopresto, who identified herself as a survivor of grooming and sexual assault by her high‑school band teacher, told the panel that grooming began years before she disclosed and that the department’s three‑year statutory lookback prevented MDE from fully investigating. “When MDE is not permitted to look back more than three years, our K‑12 students pay the price,” Lopresto said. She described being isolated over multiple years, an incident of assault on school property and delayed disclosure until a police investigation in 2022.
Detective Chad Clawson of the Eagan Police Department, who investigated Lopresto’s case, said delayed disclosure is common in grooming cases and argued that limiting MDE’s review to incidents within three years leaves predators in classrooms. “Preventing investigations solely based on time protects offenders, not students,” Clawson said, urging the panel to remove the arbitrary time limit so the department can conduct thorough inquiries.
Ado Shuni, director of government relations for the Minnesota Department of Education, told the committee MDE supports the bill’s goals — recognizing grooming as a reportable maltreatment concern and improving reporting and accountability — but cautioned that effective implementation would require attention to staffing and resources. “Successful implementation of new responsibilities for our school maltreatment program will require careful consideration of workload and appropriate resources,” Shuni said.
Members asked about fiscal consequences and outstanding fiscal notes from agencies. Bennett said she will work with the authorizing committees to resolve fiscal questions. After discussion, the committee voted to re‑refer HF 3489 to the committee on Ways and Means so the fiscal impacts can be evaluated before further action.
What’s next: HF 3489 will be reviewed by the Ways and Means Committee for fiscal analysis before returning to the authorizing committee for possible further action.
The measure, House File 3489, was introduced to the committee by Bennett, who said the bill responds to gaps that leave survivors without recourse. “This is an issue we need to deal with,” Bennett said in opening remarks, asking the committee to hear testifiers who offered firsthand and investigative perspectives.
Hannah Lopresto, who identified herself as a survivor of grooming and sexual assault by her high‑school band teacher, told the panel that grooming began years before she disclosed and that the department’s three‑year statutory lookback prevented MDE from fully investigating. “When MDE is not permitted to look back more than three years, our K‑12 students pay the price,” Lopresto said. She described being isolated over multiple years, an incident of assault on school property and delayed disclosure until a police investigation in 2022.
Detective Chad Clawson of the Eagan Police Department, who investigated Lopresto’s case, said delayed disclosure is common in grooming cases and argued that limiting MDE’s review to incidents within three years leaves predators in classrooms. “Preventing investigations solely based on time protects offenders, not students,” Clawson said, urging the panel to remove the arbitrary time limit so the department can conduct thorough inquiries.
Ado Shuni, director of government relations for the Minnesota Department of Education, told the committee MDE supports the bill’s goals — recognizing grooming as a reportable maltreatment concern and improving reporting and accountability — but cautioned that effective implementation would require attention to staffing and resources. “Successful implementation of new responsibilities for our school maltreatment program will require careful consideration of workload and appropriate resources,” Shuni said.
Members asked about fiscal consequences and outstanding fiscal notes from agencies. Bennett said she will work with the authorizing committees to resolve fiscal questions. After discussion, the committee voted to re‑refer HF 3489 to the committee on Ways and Means so the fiscal impacts can be evaluated before further action.
What’s next: HF 3489 will be reviewed by the Ways and Means Committee for fiscal analysis before returning to the authorizing committee for possible further action.
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