| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to commerce; modifying the definition of debt buyer; appropriating money |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 for a grant to Undue Medical Debt; requiring reports; amending Minnesota Statutes |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 2024, section 332.31, subdivision 8. |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 332.31, subdivision 8, is amended to read: |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Subd. 8.Debt buyer."Debt buyer" means a business engaged in the purchase of any |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8charged-off account, bill, or other indebtedness for collection purposes, whether the business |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9collects the account, bill, or other indebtedness, hires a third party for collection, or hires |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10an attorney for litigation related to the collection. Debt buyer does not include a nonprofit |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11organization purchasing a charged-off account, bill, or other indebtedness for charitable |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12purposes. |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; MEDICAL DEBT RELIEF; REPORT. |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14 Subdivision 1.Appropriation.$5,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15general fund to the commissioner of commerce for a grant to Undue Medical Debt to relieve |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16the medical debt of eligible residents who were unable to pay medical bills after reasonable |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17collections efforts undertaken by hospital providers were completed. This is a onetime |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18appropriation and is available until June 30, 2028. |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 Subd. 2.Report.Undue Medical Debt must share information with the commissioner |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20of commerce and the attorney general regarding the number and characteristics of the |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21residents who have had medical debts relieved under this appropriation. |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1Sec. 2. |
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| 24 | 24 | | REVISOR RSI/ES 25-0279802/05/25 |
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| 25 | 25 | | State of Minnesota |
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| 26 | 26 | | This Document can be made available |
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| 27 | 27 | | in alternative formats upon request |
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| 28 | 28 | | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 29 | 29 | | H. F. No. 1646 |
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| 30 | 30 | | NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 31 | 31 | | Authored by Reyer, Keeler, Cha, Berg, Xiong and others02/27/2025 |
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| 32 | 32 | | The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Commerce Finance and Policy |
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