Bill to make grooming a felony in Minnesota could go to House floor for a vote as soon as next week

A personal story of grooming in high school is leading the way for change in Minnesota.   

Legislation was introduced after Hannah LoPresto came forward as part of a WCCO Investigates series.

"My name is Hannah LoPresto. I'm a victim-survivor of grooming and sexual assault by my high school band teacher," LoPresto said.

LoPresto shared why she's telling her story to stop sexual predators.

"Grooming made me feel alone. A one of one that nobody could truly understand. But I was wrong. There are victim survivors all around us. They're our neighbors, our friends, our colleagues, our representatives, our family, our students and our children. You may not often see us, but we're here, and we need your support greatly," LoPresto said.

Detective Chad Clausen told House Ways and Means members he investigated LoPresto's case and is advocating for the law change.

"You cannot accidentally groom a child. Grooming is the deliberate process of building a false sense of trust with the child to make future sexual abuse easier," Clausen said.

The bill brought by Republican Rep. Peggy Bennett is personal.    

"I came close to being raped by my band director. And so here I hear this happening a generation later, and I'm thinking, I need to share also. If Hannah is brave enough to do it, I will be as well. And we need to get this done," Bennett said.

We now know how much the law would cost: roughly $1.45 million a year for the state Department of Education, mainly for more investigators, plus $48,000 for prison beds over the next three years.

It sparked conversation about spending and ultimately passed the committee.

"Goes to the House floor next. Just so exciting. It's going to be very surreal, I think, to be in that room and realize just where, where we've gotten to, how far we've come," LoPresto said.

The bill could go to the House floor for a vote as early as next week. A companion bill is making its way through the Senate and will need to pass through both chambers.