This bill amends Minnesota law to exempt elk from a prohibition on importing live deer and related animals from areas where chronic wasting disease has been detected. It requires that all other live cervids, such as deer and moose, come from herds with the highest disease certification status or test negative for the disease before entry. The legislation also maintains existing rules allowing zoo transfers between accredited facilities and permits for orphaned animals or reindeer under specific conditions.
This bill expands Minnesota's assault laws to protect firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and hospital emergency department staff from physical attacks. Under the new provisions, physically assaulting these workers while they are performing their duties would be classified as a gross misdemeanor, while assaults causing demonstrable bodily harm would be elevated to a felony punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of $6,000. The changes apply to municipal and volunteer firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, and physicians, nurses, or other healthcare workers working in hospital emergency departments. The legislation takes effect on August 1, 2026, and applies only to crimes committed on or after that date.
This bill modifies Minnesota's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program rules to tighten asset and income verification requirements for applicants. It requires households to attest to their financial resources, debt, and recent payment delays, while excluding up to two licensed vehicles and $20,000 in assets from resource limits. The legislation also mandates work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents at the federal maximum and establishes a verification schedule that increases scrutiny based on an applicant's disclosed asset amount. County agencies would verify written asset attestations for current recipients, with higher verification rates for those reporting more assets, and must refer applicants with disclosed debt to financial assistance resources. The bill would take effect on January 1, 2027, or upon federal approval, whichever comes later.
This bill allows school districts in Minnesota that offer full-time digital instruction to administer state assessments remotely for their enrolled students. The law requires students to take tests during scheduled windows, attend live sessions managed by district staff, and use devices monitored by proctors through video, with specific rules about proctor-to-student ratios and device usage. It applies to regular state assessments but excludes college and workforce readiness tests provided by national providers. The legislation also allocates $200,000 in fiscal year 2027 funding specifically to support the implementation of remote assessments. These changes will take effect starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
This bill extends the time period that natural organic reduction facilities in Minnesota can hold deceased human bodies before beginning the natural reduction process, increasing the limit from 24 hours to 30 days. The amendment applies to facilities that accept legal and physical custody of bodies for natural organic reduction and requires refrigeration if a body is held for more than four calendar days. If the natural reduction process is not started within 30 days, the facility must either embalm the body or have it embalmed, unless the process begins within that timeframe. The change directly affects funeral service providers and natural organic reduction facilities by allowing more time to initiate the reduction process without mandatory embalming.
This bill requires lenders to register with the Minnesota commissioner before offering student loans to Minnesota residents, effective January 1, 2025. The registration process requires lenders to submit their name, address, and information about company officers and owners, along with any additional details the commissioner may require. Registrations expire annually on December 31 and must be renewed each year, with the commissioner allowed to set nonrefundable fees for registration and renewal. The bill also gives the commissioner authority to establish registration procedures, potentially using a national licensing system, and to create alternate registration requirements for postsecondary institutions that offer student loans.
This bill creates a new criminal offense for intentionally damaging farm machinery by placing hard objects like iron or steel in growing crops without the owner's consent. It directly affects farmers and agricultural landowners by making such actions a gross misdemeanor, which carries potential jail time and mandatory restitution payments to cover repair costs. The legislation also updates existing trespass laws to clarify definitions of construction sites and mining areas, specifying sign requirements for warning against unauthorized entry. These changes aim to provide clearer legal protections for agricultural operations and property boundaries while maintaining consistent penalties for various trespass-related offenses.
This bill modifies Minnesota's property tax refund calculation for taxes due in 2026 by reducing the refund percentage from 12 percent to 8 percent. The change applies specifically to property taxes payable in 2026 and affects homeowners who would otherwise receive a refund based on the standard calculation. By lowering the refund percentage, the bill reduces the amount of money returned to property owners for that tax year. The legislation is limited to a one-time adjustment and does not change the refund program for other years or tax types.
This bill updates Minnesota law to eliminate outdated date restrictions on crib safety regulations, ensuring that unsafe cribs remain prohibited regardless of when they were originally manufactured. It directly affects commercial users who sell or lease cribs, as well as operators of hotels, motels, and lodging establishments that provide cribs to guests. The key provision clarifies that cribs are considered unsafe if they do not meet current Consumer Product Safety Commission standards and specific ASTM International specifications for corner posts and structural integrity. The legislation also maintains an exemption for cribs not intended for infant use, provided sellers attach a written notice declaring the crib unsafe for infants.
This bill prohibits the state of Minnesota from withholding federal income tax from the paychecks of state employees. It directly affects the state's payroll system and all employees working for state agencies. The law requires the commissioner of management and budget and agency heads to stop deducting federal taxes from employee wages and to repeal existing statutes that authorized such withholdings. This change means state employees will receive their full gross pay without federal tax deductions, and the state will no longer act as an agent for collecting these taxes from employee salaries.
This bill updates terminology and organizational structure within Ramsey County's human resources system by renaming the "director of human resources" to "chief human resources officer" and adjusting the title of the county executive director to "county manager." The legislation clarifies which positions fall under the county personnel system, specifically including the Examiner of Titles while excluding certain court-related roles, and reclassifies the chief human resources officer to unclassified service. It also establishes the chief human resources officer's responsibilities for personnel management and rulemaking, designates the county manager as the chief labor negotiator for collective bargaining agreements, and outlines procedures for payroll approval and rule adoption. These changes aim to align Ramsey County's personnel structure with other similar positions and update outdated language in state statutes.
This bill requires parents in Minnesota whose parental rights are terminated to continue paying child support obligations, including any unpaid amounts owed under existing court orders. The law applies to cases where a court terminates parental rights based on specific conditions outlined in state statutes, such as abandonment or abuse. While the termination ends most legal ties between parent and child, this provision ensures financial support continues for the child. The changes take effect on August 1, 2026, and apply to parental right terminations ordered on or after that date.
