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MINNESOTA NEWS | Grooming a Child Becomes a Felony Under New Law Taking Effect August 1
ST. PAUL, MN (July 25, 2026). Minnesota will establish a specific felony offense for grooming a child beginning August 1, expanding the state’s ability to prosecute adults who cultivate deceptive relationships with children for intended sexual conduct.
Under the new law, a person who is at least 18 may be charged with grooming when the statutory requirements are met, even if the intended sexual conduct never occurs.
A conviction may carry a sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Law addresses conduct preceding sexual abuse
Grooming generally involves an adult gradually establishing trust, secrecy, emotional dependence or access to a child in preparation for sexual exploitation.
The conduct may occur in person or through telephones, letters, computers, social media, messaging applications and other electronic communications.
The new law is intended to give prosecutors a means of intervening before planned sexual conduct occurs, provided the state can establish the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.
The statute applies to qualifying conduct committed on or after August 1.
Additional protections involve schools and reporting
The legislation also strengthens requirements involving educators, school employees, law enforcement agencies and professional licensing authorities.
Police departments will be required to notify the appropriate licensing board when a teacher is charged with certain serious offenses that could result in the denial or revocation of an educator’s license.
Additional provisions require the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families to strengthen mandated-reporter training for education professionals. The training will address how to recognize and report grooming, threatened sexual abuse and environments that may increase a child’s vulnerability.
The department is expected to update the applicable training module by August 1, 2027.
The law also removes a previous limitation that could prevent child-protection investigations of reported grooming because the alleged conduct occurred more than three years earlier.
Families encouraged to recognize warning signs
Possible warning signs can include an adult seeking unnecessary private access to a child, encouraging secrecy, communicating excessively outside appropriate settings, providing unexplained gifts or attempting to isolate a child from trusted adults.
Not every concerning interaction constitutes a crime. Parents and caregivers should document specific conduct and report credible safety concerns to law enforcement or the appropriate child-protection authority.
Sources:
MinneapoliMedia | Community. Culture. Civic Life.
