Senate committee advances bill to make grooming a felony after survivor testimony
March 16, 2026 | 2026 Legislature MN, Minnesota
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Senate lawmakers on the Education Policy Committee on Thursday recommended Senate File 3969 be passed and sent to the Judiciary Committee after emotional testimony from a survivor who said an educator groomed and sexually assaulted her over several years.
Hannah Low told the committee, "I'm a victim survivor of grooming and sexual assaults by my high school band teacher," and described being isolated, manipulated and sexually assaulted in school. She said she did not tell authorities about the full extent of the abuse until investigators located her in 2022 and that, at the end of police and Minnesota Department of Education reviews, her former teacher still held a valid teaching license.
The bill’s author, Senator Make Weight, told the committee the proposal establishes grooming as a crime, expands mandatory-reporting training and aims to close legal gaps that have allowed alleged misconduct to go unpunished. Detective Chad Clawson, who investigated Low’s case, said delays in disclosure and a three-year statutory limitation in 2016 prevented a full criminal inquiry and urged removing that limit. "Removing the three-year limit allows them to conduct a complete investigation," he said.
Committee members praised the courage of the survivors and investigators. Lawmakers and union and district witnesses also discussed training for mandatory reporters and data-sharing between agencies so investigations are not stymied by procedural limits.
Senator Make Weight renewed the motion that Senate File 3969, as amended, be recommended to pass and referred it to the Judiciary Committee; the motion carried on a voice vote with no roll-call recorded. Committee minutes show adoption of two technical amendments before passage.
The bill’s supporters framed the changes as child-safety measures intended to target predatory behavior rather than typical educator conduct. Opponents did not mount sustained floor debate at the committee hearing; members said they will continue working on technical language in follow-up committees.
The measure now moves to the Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
Hannah Low told the committee, "I'm a victim survivor of grooming and sexual assaults by my high school band teacher," and described being isolated, manipulated and sexually assaulted in school. She said she did not tell authorities about the full extent of the abuse until investigators located her in 2022 and that, at the end of police and Minnesota Department of Education reviews, her former teacher still held a valid teaching license.
The bill’s author, Senator Make Weight, told the committee the proposal establishes grooming as a crime, expands mandatory-reporting training and aims to close legal gaps that have allowed alleged misconduct to go unpunished. Detective Chad Clawson, who investigated Low’s case, said delays in disclosure and a three-year statutory limitation in 2016 prevented a full criminal inquiry and urged removing that limit. "Removing the three-year limit allows them to conduct a complete investigation," he said.
Committee members praised the courage of the survivors and investigators. Lawmakers and union and district witnesses also discussed training for mandatory reporters and data-sharing between agencies so investigations are not stymied by procedural limits.
Senator Make Weight renewed the motion that Senate File 3969, as amended, be recommended to pass and referred it to the Judiciary Committee; the motion carried on a voice vote with no roll-call recorded. Committee minutes show adoption of two technical amendments before passage.
The bill’s supporters framed the changes as child-safety measures intended to target predatory behavior rather than typical educator conduct. Opponents did not mount sustained floor debate at the committee hearing; members said they will continue working on technical language in follow-up committees.
The measure now moves to the Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
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