SF 472 exempts the Office of Ombudsperson for American Indian Families and federally recognized tribes (or their representatives) from paying court fees for specific family-related legal actions. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to add these entities to existing exemptions covering child support enforcement, medical assistance enforcement, parentage establishment, civil commitment, conservatorship/guardianship appointments, and certain family court proceedings. This change removes a financial barrier for tribal and tribal-affiliated entities when navigating court systems for these matters. The policy directly affects tribal organizations and the Office of Ombudsperson in their legal interactions with Minnesota courts. It does not alter substantive law but ensures these entities are not charged fees for specified court services.
SF 2393 is a biennial appropriations bill funding the Minnesota Department of Commerce for fiscal years 2026-2027, totaling $42.2 million in the first year and $42.8 million in the second. It allocates funds for consumer protection programs (including a new Prescription Drug Affordability Board), financial inclusion initiatives for underserved populations, enforcement staff (like five additional fraud investigators), and energy-related programs such as renewable energy oversight. The bill also modifies statutes related to renewable energy, cannabis licensing, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, while imposing new fees for certain services. It directly affects consumers, businesses, and state agencies managing commerce, energy, and consumer protection programs.
This bill appropriates $7 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Pollution Control Agency. The funds are specifically designated as a grant to the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association to transport wood waste (such as tree trimmings and branches) to processing facilities. It directly affects the nursery and landscape industry by providing financial support for managing their wood waste stream. The bill creates no new regulations but allocates state funds to facilitate this waste processing activity.
HF 20 clarified which data maintained by Minnesota's Attorney General's Office must be treated as "private data" under state law. It specifically designated five categories as private: disciplinary records (excluding public hearings), non-final administrative communications, consumer complaint data (excluding confidential data), inactive investigative files, and detailed home protection hotline information (like mortgage details and income). This change directly affects the Attorney General's Office by requiring them to handle these specific data types with privacy protections. The bill was introduced in 2025 but was not passed by the legislature and was laid on the table.
This bill appropriates $23 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Pollution Control Agency. The funds are designated as a grant to the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association to construct a wood upcycling campus. The campus will process wood waste into new products like lumber, furniture, building materials, compost, mulch, biochar, and energy. This directly affects the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association as the recipient and focuses on diverting wood waste from landfills through processing.
This bill (SF 1962) prohibits lenders from enforcing "due-on-sale" clauses - where a loan becomes due immediately upon property transfer - during specific family-related transfers of residential property in Minnesota. It directly affects homeowners who transfer property through methods like transfer-on-death deeds, inheritance by spouses/children, divorce settlements, or certain trusts, preventing lenders from demanding full repayment. The key provision adds a new section to Minnesota law (§58.13, subd. 3) that blocks these clauses in the listed scenarios, with exceptions for reverse mortgages. It also creates a private right of action, allowing affected individuals to seek legal remedies, attorney fees, and costs for violations.
SF 1346 requires companies with permits to harvest or destroy aquatic plants in Minnesota's public waters to follow new safety rules when using scuba diving equipment. It mandates annual third-party hazard surveys by qualified safety professionals, requires divers to hold nationally certified training, and blocks permits for businesses with recent scuba-related safety violations. The bill directly affects commercial aquatic plant management companies operating in Minnesota, adding safety documentation and certification requirements to their permit process. These provisions aim to reduce diving-related injuries by ensuring proper equipment, training, and risk assessments.
SF 505 modifies the definition of "investor seller" in Minnesota's contracts for deed statutes. This change directly affects how sellers are classified in these agreements, altering the legal framework for property transfers under Minnesota law. The bill amends multiple statutes including sections 272.12 (related to deeds and taxes) and 559.21 (contracts for deed), with specific provisions adding a new subdivision to 559A.01. The exact wording of the revised definition is not detailed in the provided bill text.
This bill requires Minnesota state correctional facilities and certain human services programs (like treatment facilities) to provide free voice communication services (phone calls) and other communication options (like video calls or messaging) to people under their care. It prohibits charging incarcerated or confined individuals for these services and bans facilities from profiting through communication contracts. The bill also mandates that facilities maintain in-person visitation programs, ensuring video calls cannot replace face-to-face visits unless during declared emergencies. Facilities must report annually on communication contracts, spending, and service usage to the Department of Corrections.
SF 2205 establishes a 13-member task force to study insurance affordability for homeowners, renters, and small businesses in Minnesota. The task force, including members from insurance groups, housing organizations, and climate experts, will examine factors like risk mitigation, liability laws, coverage notice rules, reinsurance markets, and climate-related claim costs. It must submit recommendations to state agencies and legislators by February 15, 2026, after reviewing these issues. The bill appropriates $200,000 for the task force’s operations but does not enact new insurance rules. This is a study-focused bill, not a direct policy change.
SF 1598 repeals a Minnesota statute (471.9998) that currently prohibits local governments from banning paper, plastic, or reusable bags provided by merchants. If enacted, this bill would allow cities and counties to implement their own bag bans, directly affecting local governments and businesses that provide bags to customers. The key mechanism is removing the state-level prohibition, enabling municipalities to regulate bag use without state interference. This change would apply to all localities within Minnesota, shifting authority from the state to local jurisdictions. The bill does not create new bag rules but removes a barrier to local action.
This bill, SF 2522, modifies Minnesota's assisted living facility regulations to protect residents. It prohibits facilities from requiring guardianship as a condition for admission or continued residence (Section 1). For fee increases exceeding the Consumer Price Index, facilities must submit detailed documentation - including staffing costs, new fees, balance sheets, and regional comparisons - to the commissioner for approval before implementation (Sections 3-4). These changes directly affect assisted living facilities and their residents by adding oversight for significant cost changes and preventing arbitrary contract terminations.
