This bill clarifies labeling requirements for soil amendments, plant amendments, and beneficial substances sold in Minnesota. It requires product labels to clearly list active ingredients, net weight, manufacturer information, usage directions, and guaranteed analysis, while exempting inert ingredients from mandatory disclosure. The legislation also mandates that registration applications include a certificate of composition detailing the amounts and formulas of inert ingredients and beneficial substances. These changes directly affect manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of agricultural products by standardizing how product information is presented to consumers.
This bill authorizes the city of North Oaks to connect to the Metropolitan Council's sanitary sewer system and join the Metropolitan Urban Service Area. It requires the Metropolitan Council to approve the city's application for this connection regardless of existing policies or rules. The bill ensures that wastewater rates and fees for North Oaks remain similar to those of other communities in the service area, while still requiring standard environmental permitting.
This bill clarifies the role of volunteers in Minnesota's guardian ad litem program, which advocates for the best interests of children, minor parents, and incompetent adults in juvenile and family court cases. It amends existing state law to explicitly state that the program includes both volunteers and paid staff working under the State Guardian Ad Litem Board. The legislation requires the board to establish standards, policies, and procedures for the program while approving budgets and distributing funding, and allows the board to adopt rules ensuring quality advocacy for clients.
This bill allows nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Minnesota to permit residents to consume and display alcoholic beverages under specific conditions. The law requires that alcohol be used only during resident-focused activities, served by staff aged 18 or older, and never offered for sale or given to anyone under 21. Facilities must ensure all alcohol consumption remains within the facility and is limited to adult residents participating in approved events.
This bill expands the range of services that Minnesota school-based health centers can provide to students, including care coordination, home visits for those unable to attend school, and additional support for social determinants of health. It also establishes a new requirement that telehealth services be paired with in-person care when possible or offered responsively when students are not physically present at school. The legislation creates stabilization grants of up to $50,000 per center for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to fund specific initiatives like expanding telehealth, improving electronic health records, and offering trauma recovery and grief counseling. A total of $2.7 million is appropriated each year for these grants, technical assistance, and administration, with funding continuing into fiscal years 2028 and 2029. The bill clarifies that these health services do not replace existing daily student support provided by school staff such as nurses, counselors, and social workers.
This bill modifies Minnesota's family law procedures to require courts to prioritize expedited hearings for temporary relief when a parent alleges they have been denied parenting time for 14 consecutive days or more. It also mandates priority hearings within 30 days when a party claims unreasonable denial of access to necessary financial resources during a divorce or separation. The legislation clarifies that courts must consider evidence of domestic abuse, substance abuse, or neglect as valid reasons for denying parenting time, while ensuring priority hearings occur within 30 days for cases involving extended denial of parenting access. If temporary parenting time is granted, the court may also order temporary child support upon request. These changes affect parents involved in family law cases in Minnesota who seek urgent temporary orders.
This bill, titled the Yes in God's Back Yard (YIGBY) Housing Act, restricts local government regulations on affordable housing developments proposed by religious organizations in Minnesota. It defines "qualified development" as affordable housing built on land owned by a religious institution for at least one year and establishes a process where municipalities must temporarily suspend enforcement of zoning rules if a religious group claims they impose a substantial burden on religious exercise. Under the law, municipalities must review such claims within 30 days and adjust regulations if they fail to meet strict legal standards requiring a compelling governmental interest and the least restrictive means. The bill also allows religious institutions to sue for damages or other relief if their rights are violated, including reimbursement for legal fees.
This bill increases the maximum number of outdoor cannabis plants that microbusinesses in Minnesota can grow from half an acre to one acre. It allows the state licensing office to adjust cultivation limits based on market demand while ensuring outdoor microbusinesses can grow at least one acre of mature flowering plants. The legislation also sets manufacturing limits equivalent to the harvest from a 5,000 square foot indoor facility and permits microbusinesses with proper endorsements to operate one retail location. These changes directly affect cannabis microbusinesses and the state's cannabis regulatory office.
This bill increases penalties for unlawful firearm possession in Minnesota, primarily affecting individuals with prior violent crime convictions and those prohibited from owning certain weapons. It raises the maximum prison sentence for people convicted of violent crimes who possess firearms from 15 to 20 years, and increases penalties for prohibited persons possessing assault weapons or ammunition from five to 15 years in prison. The legislation also makes transferring firearms to prohibited individuals a felony with a maximum sentence of four years instead of two, and increases penalties for dealers and others who violate transfer laws. These changes apply to offenses committed on or after August 1, 2026, and include exceptions for individuals whose firearm rights have been legally restored.
This bill requires cities in Minnesota to accept building project applications and documentation electronically, including through email, digital files, and electronic signatures. It applies to home rule charter cities and statutory cities of the first, second, or third class, while exempting smaller municipalities outside metropolitan counties. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and does not alter other existing building code enforcement rules or procedures.
This bill modifies Minnesota's fencing requirements for farmed deer and elk, requiring all perimeter fences to be at least 96 inches tall and constructed to prevent both animal escapes and entry by wild deer or elk. It mandates that all new or repaired fencing use high-tensile wire and requires facilities to have two redundant gates at entry points. The bill also establishes enforcement measures, including a 14-day repair deadline for fence deficiencies, reinspection fees for violations, and the possibility of revoking facility registration and seizing animals if multiple escapes occur or deficiencies remain uncorrected.
This bill strengthens penalties for transferring firearms to individuals who are legally prohibited from owning them, such as those with prior disqualifying convictions or permit denials. It increases the maximum prison sentence for such transfers from two to three years and establishes a mandatory minimum of three years for cases where the recipient uses the weapon within a year to commit a violent felony. The legislation also removes a legal defense that previously allowed defendants to claim they transferred a firearm under duress from a family member, making it harder for violators to avoid prosecution. These changes directly affect firearm owners, sellers, and law enforcement by tightening restrictions on gun transfers to ineligible persons.
