Governor Pawlenty today signed an Executive Order (06-09), creating a Meth Offender Registry. The following is the text of the Executive Order:

I, TIM PAWLENTY, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the applicable statutes, do hereby issue this Executive Order:

WHEREAS, methamphetamine is one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs available; and

WHEREAS, methamphetamine manufacturing, trafficking and use have become a national and state scourge with more counties reporting methamphetamine as the number one drug problem, than counties listing cocaine, marijuana, and heroin combined; and

WHEREAS, methamphetamine can cause dangerous health conditions including increased heart rate and blood pressure, strokes, respiratory problems, irregular heartbeat, extreme anorexia, permanent dental damage, cardiovascular collapse and death, as well as paranoia, delusions and violent behavior; and

WHEREAS, the chemicals used in manufacturing methamphetamine are also extremely dangerous and toxic, causing significant harm to people and the environment; and

 WHEREAS, children and other members of society are often unwittingly exposed to the extremely dangerous and toxic conditions caused by the production and use of methamphetamine; and

WHEREAS, methamphetamine has resulted in particularly high criminal, environmental and social costs and the dangers related to methamphetamine are not limited to the users and other criminal participants, but also to children, law enforcement personnel and other members of the community; and

WHEREAS, a centralized registry of persons convicted of manufacturing and/or selling methamphetamine would assist law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, a publicly-accessible registry of the most serious methamphetamine offenders, will provide citizens with useful information on persons convicted of manufacturing or selling methamphetamine in their communities and allow members of the public to better protect themselves and their communities; and

WHEREAS, public exposure of methamphetamine manufacturers and dealers is likely to have a deterrent effect on prospective manufacturers and sellers of this harmful and toxic drug.

NOW, THEREFORE, I hereby order that:
1. As of the effective date of this order, the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Chief Information Officer are directed to begin creating a Methamphetamine Offender Registry that identifies persons convicted in Minnesota for felony level crimes involving the manufacture or sale of methamphetamine.
2. The Commissioner of Public Safety and the Chief Information Officer will create the Methamphetamine Offender Registry using public criminal history data and other data that is classified as public data under state law and will include on the registry information regarding individuals convicted of felony level methamphetamine production or sale including, but not limited to, information regarding the identity of the person, the conviction, the arresting agency, the county of conviction, the sentence imposed and the status of the offender.
3. The Commissioner of Public Safety and Chief Information Officer will make the Methamphetamine Offender Registry available to the public at no cost by request and by internet based access. Access will be available to the public through a website maintained by the Department of Public Safety.
4. The Commissioner of Public Safety and Chief Information Officer will comply with the requirements of the Minnesota Data Practices Act and other applicable state law in relation to the data used to create, maintain and provide public access to the Methamphetamine Offender Registry.
5. The Commissioner of Public Safety and Chief Information Officer will report to the Governor on July 1, 2008 regarding the use and effectiveness of the database.

Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 2004, Section 4.035, Subd. 2, this Order shall be effective fifteen (15) days after publication in the State Register and filing with the Secretary of State and shall remain in effect until it is rescinded by proper authority or it expires in accordance with Minnesota Statutes 2004, Section 4.035, Subd. 3.