HF 3695 establishes a task force to create a standardized identification system for Minnesota emergency responders (including police, firefighters, and EMTs). The task force, composed of state agency leaders and representative organizations, must design an ID card including a photo, name, role (e.g., peace officer or EMT), physical description, and certification details. It will also develop a plan for mandatory use of this ID by responders and their employers, and recommend whether the state or local governments should issue it. The bill appropriates funds for the task force’s work and requires a final report to the legislature by 2028. This is a procedural proposal to develop standards, not an immediate law.
HF 3701 prohibits long-term care, life, and disability insurers in Minnesota from denying coverage, changing premiums, or requiring genetic testing based on an individual's genetic information. The bill bans insurers from using genetic test results to make coverage decisions or forcing applicants to undergo genetic testing as a condition for obtaining or renewing policies. It allows insurers to access existing genetic information in medical records only with the individual's separate, written consent, and permits consideration of medical diagnoses (even if based on genetic tests) without requiring consent. The law takes effect August 1, 2026, for new or renewed policies.
HF 3687 modifies Minnesota's medical assistance and MinnesotaCare coverage for chiropractic services. The bill removes the previous age restriction (limiting coverage to those under 21) and establishes new rules: chiropractic care for spinal pain, chronic conditions, and related services is covered for all ages, but limited to 24 visits per year without prior authorization. It also restricts x-ray coverage to specific spine examinations necessary for diagnosing subluxation. This affects all MinnesotaCare and medical assistance recipients seeking chiropractic care, changing coverage from age-limited to broadly applicable with visit and x-ray restrictions. The changes take effect January 1, 2027, or after federal approval.
HF 3698 prohibits publishers from including certain restrictive terms in license agreements for libraries' electronic books and digital audiobooks. It directly affects Minnesota public libraries, school libraries, and the Minitex network by banning clauses that prevent libraries from lending digital materials - such as restrictions on interlibrary loans or limiting how materials can be shared. The law requires contracts to allow libraries to perform standard lending functions, including loaning materials via digital systems. It becomes effective 60 days after Minnesota’s secretary of state confirms other states with at least 7 million combined population have similar laws.
HF 3704 prohibits the sale or distribution of certain crop seeds (like corn, soybeans, and wheat) coated with systemic insecticides after January 1, 2029, unless a commissioner-issued waiver is provided. It also bans applying neonicotinoid insecticides (e.g., imidacloprid) to ornamental outdoor plants and turf, except in specific environmental emergencies approved by the commissioner. Farmers seeking seed waivers must complete integrated pest management training and submit third-party pest risk assessments. The bill requires annual training for applicators and allows limited emergency use if less harmful alternatives are ineffective. It directly affects farmers, gardeners, seed sellers, and pesticide applicators in Minnesota.
HF 3602 requires all Minnesota public schools (K-12) to develop and adopt evidence-based school safety plans by May 2028, with the Minnesota School Safety Center reviewing and approving these plans. The bill establishes a School Safety Advisory Council, appropriates funding for the Center to create a model safety plan, and mandates that schools include mental health support and positive climate efforts in their plans. Schools failing to adopt approved plans must notify parents and staff by August 2028, and the Center must publicly report on compliance by December 2028. The law defines "evidence-based" using research standards like experimental studies or strong research rationale, and requires the Center to employ at least two mental health professionals.
HF 3728 requires Minnesota's Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement transportation asset management plans and limits highway expansion projects when pavement or bridge conditions show performance gaps. Specifically, it prohibits adding lanes or widening highways (capacity expansion projects) in the state transportation budget if asset management plans identify shortfalls in pavement or bridge conditions. The bill also mandates 60-year maintenance plans for major highway projects, analyzing costs for preventive maintenance, operations, and indirect expenses. These requirements apply to trunk highway projects entering state or regional transportation programs in 2031 or later, directly affecting the DOT and local governments managing highway infrastructure.
HF 3643 establishes Melissa and Mark Hortman Memorial State Park in Ramsey County, specifically within St. Paul, as a new public park. The bill designates precise boundaries for the park using 18 directional points in St. Paul and requires that no park permit or entry fee be charged. It directs the commissioner of natural resources to manage the park under standard state park rules, while specifying that the commissioner of administration and Minnesota Historical Society retain authority over existing buildings and monuments within the park. The legislation also appropriates funds for the park’s establishment, directly affecting public access to this newly designated green space in the city.
This bill establishes a task force to design a public alert system for hit-and-run accidents causing injury or death in Minnesota. The task force, composed of public safety officials, law enforcement representatives, and community stakeholders, will study other states' systems, determine triggering conditions (like injury or death), and develop procedures for law enforcement and public notification. It requires a final report with recommendations by January 15, 2026, and appropriates $ for the task force's work. The system itself would not be implemented until after the task force completes its recommendations.
This bill adds motorcycles to Minnesota's Digital Fair Repair Act, expanding the law to cover motorcycle repair. It requires manufacturers to provide independent repair shops (unaffiliated with the manufacturer) with diagnostic tools, parts, and documentation on "fair and reasonable terms," meaning at the same price and without restrictive conditions like mandatory registration or forcing shops to become authorized dealers. The law directly affects motorcycle owners and independent repair businesses by ensuring they have equal access to necessary repair resources as dealership shops. Key provisions prevent manufacturers from imposing unnecessary costs or restrictions on parts, tools, or documentation for motorcycles, aligning motorcycle repair with existing digital electronics coverage.
HF 44 requires food manufacturers and brand owners to test packaged food products for ortho-phthalates and report detailed results to Minnesota's Commissioner of Agriculture. Specifically, companies must submit written notices within 30 days before selling or distributing products in Minnesota, including chemical names, quantities detected, testing methods, and laboratory details. This applies to most packaged foods (excluding retail-packaged bakery items, meat, and produce) and includes reporting requirements for each product's UPC barcode. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, with testing laboratories required to meet ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation standards.
This Minnesota legislative resolution (HF 2688) requests Congress to seek a constitutional amendment overturning the *Citizens United v. FEC* Supreme Court decision. It asks Congress to clarify that constitutional rights apply only to natural persons (not corporations or other artificial entities) and that campaign spending is not protected speech under the First Amendment. The resolution specifically proposes an amendment requiring governments to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures to ensure equal political access for all citizens, regardless of wealth, and to mandate public disclosure of all political spending. It does not create new laws but formally urges federal action through a constitutional amendment process.
