As a result of legislation signed into law during the 2019 legislative session, including provisions within the two-year state budget agreement passed by the legislature, a series of new laws have gone into effect. You can find a comprehensive list of all new laws here.
Here is a look at a few notable laws that went into effect on July 1, 2019:
Wage theft now a crime
Minnesota now has among the toughest wage theft laws in the nation, which stops employers from denying employees fair pay for time worked. The law makes wage theft a felony in Minnesota, and also includes protections for employee whistleblowers. Wage theft is defined as, among other things, when an employer “fails to pay an employee all wages, salary, gratuities, earnings, or commissions at the employee’s rate or rates of pay or at the rate or rates required by law.” Sponsored by Senator Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake)
Historic education funding
Public schools across the state will receive an increase of two percent to the per-pupil general education formula in each of the next two years – the largest investment in public schools in state history. In addition, schools will receive additional funding for safety enhancements, student mental health, and to help with the rising costs of special education. Sponsored by Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester)
Response to opioid epidemic
Beginning July 1, 2019, a new opioid advisory council will establish goals and make recommendations to the legislature on how to most effectively respond to the crisis. The new law also provides funding for county social service and tribal social service agencies to provide child protection services to families affected by addiction, increases funding for anti-trafficking initiatives, and sets application and renewal fee requirements for opiate manufacturers. To prevent unintended consequences on legitimate opiate medication uses, the law directs the state Board of Pharmacy to evaluate the effectiveness of the fees on opiate-based drug manufacturers and determine whether the legislation has had any negative impact on the availability of opiates for the treatment of chronic or intractable pain. Sponsored by Senator Julie Rosen (R-Vernon Center)
‘Marital rape exception’ outlawed
A new law repeals statutory language known as the “voluntary relationship defense”, also known as the “marital rape exception” that shields participants in voluntary relationships from prosecution for certain criminal sexual conduct. The changes allow for the prosecution of individuals accused of committing sexual crimes against a spouse or a long-standing sexual partner. Sponsored by Senator Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake)
Initiatives for Greater Minnesota
The agriculture and rural development budget spends an additional $40 million on the Minnesota Border-to-Border Broadband Expansion Program, which seeks to increase access to broadband internet services in rural communities, in addition to providing increased funding for mental health services for farmers and farm families. The new law also bolsters programs for meat inspection, disaster preparedness and response, noxious weed control, prevention and mitigation of plant pathogens and pests, and agricultural research through the Agricultural Research Education Extension and Technology Transfer program. Sponsored by Senator Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake)
Ophthalmic provider-patient relationship
There is now a requirement that patients establish a relationship with a provider for ophthalmic prescriptions (such as contacts or eyeglasses) to be issued, including for online prescriptions. This relationship can be established through examinations conducted in person, face-to-face, interactive, real-time communication or through “store-and-forward technologies” if certain conditions are met. The law does not apply to the sale of over-the-counter reading glasses. Sponsored by Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point)
Student athlete screenings
The Patrick Schoonover Heart Foundation works to provide education and free screenings to student-athletes in hopes of preventing deaths caused by undetected heart defects. A new law enables volunteer health care providers to provide liability insurance to organizations that provide free monitoring and screening services to detect undiagnosed diseases and conditions. Previously, the foundation couldn’t access liability insurance for physicians volunteering their time because the primary purpose of the foundation was not the provision of health care services to the uninsured and underinsured.
Council on Rare Diseases
The Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota has been requested to establish a rare diseases advisory council to provide recommendations for research, diagnosis, treatment and education on diseases that affect less than 200,000 people in the United States. It can also address diseases with a larger number of diagnoses but have a cost for developing treatment drugs that wouldn’t be recovered from sales of that drug. The new law mandates the council’s first meeting must occur by October 1, 2019. Sponsored by Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona)
Renter protections
Landlords are now required by law to disclose additional information on lease agreements. The specific unit number being rented is now required to be printed on a lease agreement, as are specific move-in and move-out dates and times for tenants. Partial-month rent must be prorated when full months are not part of the terms of a lease agreement. Sponsored by Senator Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake)
Manufactured homes
Modular homes are now legally-allowed to be placed in manufactured home parks, with the conversion notice requirement extended to 12 months and the vacate period extended to 90 days after a public hearing. Manufactured home park owners are prohibited from entering into a purchase agreement for 45 days, during which time the park residents can negotiate an offer to purchase. Sponsored by Senator Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake)
Residential mortgages
A new law amends state statute to remove references to “subprime” relating to residential mortgage originators and services. The law removes the language from laws governing residential mortgage originators and services. It also restricts residential mortgage originators from applying a prepayment penalty if the interest rates of the loan are structured in a certain manner. Sponsored by Senator Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake)
MNLARS replacement
The state of Minnesota will work with a private-sector vendor to develop and implement a licensing and vehicle registration system to replace the fatally-flawed MNLARS program. Deputy registrars – private businesses around the state that provide driver- and vehicle-related services to Minnesotans – will also be reimbursed for the exorbitant costs incurred as a result of the MNLARS failure. Sponsored by Senator Scott Newman (R-Hutchinson)
Local government authority
Local governments now have the authority to establish speed limits on local streets that differ from the speed limit requirements outlined in state law. Cities and counties are also now allowed to establish a driver’s license reinstatement diversion program for individuals charged with driving after suspension or driving after revocation, if other criteria are met. Sponsored by Senator Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove)
Stay tuned…
Additional new laws from the 2019 session will take effect on August 1, 2019, and January 1, 2020. For more information on those laws, please like and follow the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus on Facebook and our website.
Courtesy of Minnesota House Public Information Services