Grooming legislation gets first hearing in Minnesota following WCCO investigation
A bill designed to stop grooming in Minnesota schools is moving forward after its first hearing on Tuesday. It follows a WCCO investigative series where a young woman shared what she says happened to her in high school.
The House Education Policy Committee heard testimony on the bill.
"My name is Hannah LoPresto. I'm a victim survivor of grooming and sexual assault by my high school band teacher," LoPresto said.
LoPresto told lawmakers what she says happened to her propelled her to act.
"My story exposed numerous gaps in our state laws that need to be strengthened to better protect K-12 students from sexual abuse," LoPresto said.
Republican Rep. Peggy Bennett introduced the bill to strengthen protections for students against grooming after meeting LoPresto last fall and sharing her own experience with grooming in high school.
"It's something that still sticks with me today, so it is a really important issue," Bennett said.
Among enhancements to training and improving mandatory reporting, the bill calls for making grooming a chargeable felony offense.
"Often when I share that I was groomed and sexually assaulted, most people focus in on the sexual assaults as being the most horrific and impactful. But for me, the five-plus years of grooming were even more harmful to my long-term health and well-being. It was years of psychological manipulation that harmed my understanding of intimate relationships, my own value and my ability to trust others," LoPresto said.
Detective Chad Clausen took LoPresto's statement as part of a larger police investigation a few years ago and testified in support of the bill.
"These proposals are practical, preventative and focused on child safety. They target predatory behaviors, not educators," Clausen said.
Supporters and committee members asked for clarifications on language in the bill, but mainly expressed admiration for LoPresto.
"So I'm just really proud of you and I hope you feel that walking out of here," DFL Rep. Julia Green said.
"This is an abhorrent practice that is all too common, and so I want to thank you for telling your story and I want to thank you for bringing this legislation forward," DFL Rep. David Gottfried said.
"Let's have a good law that makes sure we keep kids away from these kinds of predators," Bennett said.
LoPresto told WCCO the hearing was a monumental step and said seeing the support was incredible.
The bill now moves to the Public Safety Committee.