Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF2296 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		1.1 A bill for an act
2		-	1.2 relating to landlord and tenant; clarifying a prohibition on disclosure of victim
3		-	1.3 information; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 504B.206, subdivision
4		-	1.4 2.
5		-	1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
6		-	1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 504B.206, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
7		-	1.7 Subd. 2.Treatment of information.(a) A landlord must not disclose:
8		-	1.8 (1) any information provided to the landlord by a tenant in the written notice required
9		-	1.9under subdivision 1, paragraph (b);
10		-	1.10 (2) any information contained in the qualifying document;
11		-	1.11 (3) the address or location to which the tenant has relocated; or
12		-	1.12 (4) the status of the tenant as a victim of violence.
13		-	1.13 (b) The information referenced in paragraph (a) must not be entered into any shared
14		-	1.14database or provided to any person or entity but may be used when required as evidence in
15		-	1.15an eviction proceeding, action for unpaid rent or damages arising out of the tenancy, claims
16		-	1.16under section 504B.178, with the consent of the tenant, or as otherwise required by law.
17		-	1.17 (c) The requirements of this subdivision to treat the information enumerated in paragraph
18		-	1.18(a) are paramount and supersede any other document or form signed by the tenant, including
19		-	1.19but not limited to any release of information form.
20		-	1.20 (c) (d) A landlord who violates this section is liable to the tenant for statutory damages
21		-	1.21of $2,000, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs.
	2	+	1.2 relating to landlord and tenant; requiring landlords to provide an alternative payment
	3	+	1.3 method to a digital platform; clarifying a prohibition on disclosure of victim
	4	+	1.4 information; limiting rate for billing tenants for apportioned utility service;
	5	+	1.5 amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 504B.118; 504B.206, subdivision 2;
	6	+	1.6 504B.216, subdivision 5.
	7	+	1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
	8	+	1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 504B.118, is amended to read:
	9	+	1.9 504B.118 RECEIPT FOR RENT PAID IN CASH PAYMENT OF RENT; DIGITAL
	10	+	1.10PLATFORMS.
	11	+	1.11 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
	12	+	1.12the meanings given.
	13	+	1.13 (b) "Digital payment platform" means an electronic application or system that permits
	14	+	1.14a user to conduct financial transactions. Digital payment platform includes electronic funds
	15	+	1.15transfers.
	16	+	1.16 (c) "Electronic funds transfers" means a transfer of money, other than a transaction
	17	+	1.17originated by check, draft, or similar paper instrument, that is initiated through an electronic
	18	+	1.18terminal, telephone, computer, or magnetic tape for the purpose of ordering, instructing, or
	19	+	1.19authorizing a financial institution to debit or credit a consumer's account, including, but not
	20	+	1.20limited to, through the use of an automated clearing house system or alternative payment
	21	+	1.21system.
	22	+	1.22 Subd. 2.Receipt for rent.A landlord receiving rent or other payments from a tenant in
	23	+	1.23cash or money order must provide a written receipt for payment immediately upon receipt
22	24		1Section 1.
23		-	REVISOR JSK ~~H2296-1~~~~HF2296 FIRST ENGROSSMENT~~
	25	+	REVISOR JSK/BM 25-0434702/27/25
24	26		State of Minnesota
25	27		This Document can be made available
26	28		in alternative formats upon request
27	29		HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
28	30		H. F. No. 2296
29	31		NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
30	32		Authored by Howard03/13/2025
31		-	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Housing Finance and Policy
32		-	Adoption of Report: Amended and re-referred to the Committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law03/24/2025 2.1 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
33		-	2Section 1.
34		-	REVISOR JSK H2296-1HF2296 FIRST ENGROSSMENT
	33	+	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Housing Finance and Policy 2.1if the payment is made in person, or within three business days if payment in cash is not
	34	+	2.2made in person.
	35	+	2.3 Subd. 3.Digital platforms.(a) If a landlord requires or permits a tenant to pay rent and
	36	+	2.4other charges via a digital platform, the landlord must offer a tenant an alternative to using
	37	+	2.5the digital platform if the payment capability is unavailable.
	38	+	2.6 (b) A tenant may request an alternative to using a digital platform if the tenant has a
	39	+	2.7physical, technological, or financial access barrier that prevents the tenant from using the
	40	+	2.8digital platform to pay rent and charges. Financial access barriers include the lack of a credit
	41	+	2.9or debit card or a bank account.
	42	+	2.10 (c) No fee may be charged to the tenant to use the digital platform or any alternative.
	43	+	2.11 (d) If the digital payment platform is known to be unavailable for use, the landlord must
	44	+	2.12restore access to the digital payment platform or offer an alternative means of payment as
	45	+	2.13soon as practicable.
	46	+	2.14 (e) A landlord is prohibited from taking any adverse action, including but not limited to
	47	+	2.15filing an eviction or assessing any late fees, when payment of rent or other charges is not
	48	+	2.16timely because the digital payment platform or the alternative payment method is unavailable
	49	+	2.17for use by the tenant. The tenant has an affirmative defense against an eviction action if the
	50	+	2.18landlord violates this section. Upon a showing that the landlord has violated this section,
	51	+	2.19the eviction action must be dismissed and the tenant is entitled to reasonable attorney fees
	52	+	2.20and any other equitable relief the court deems appropriate.
	53	+	2.21 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2025.
	54	+	2.22 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 504B.206, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
	55	+	2.23 Subd. 2.Treatment of information.(a) A landlord must not disclose:
	56	+	2.24 (1) any information provided to the landlord by a tenant in the written notice required
	57	+	2.25under subdivision 1, paragraph (b);
	58	+	2.26 (2) any information contained in the qualifying document;
	59	+	2.27 (3) the address or location to which the tenant has relocated; or
	60	+	2.28 (4) the status of the tenant as a victim of violence.
	61	+	2.29 (b) The information referenced in paragraph (a) must not be entered into any shared
	62	+	2.30database or provided to any person or entity but may be used when required as evidence in
	63	+	2Sec. 2.
	64	+	REVISOR JSK/BM 25-0434702/27/25 3.1an eviction proceeding, action for unpaid rent or damages arising out of the tenancy, claims
	65	+	3.2under section 504B.178, with the consent of the tenant, or as otherwise required by law.
	66	+	3.3 (c) The requirements of this subdivision to treat the information enumerated in paragraph
	67	+	3.4(a) are paramount and supersede any other document or form signed by the tenant, including
	68	+	3.5but not limited to any release of information form.
	69	+	3.6 (c) (d) A landlord who violates this section is liable to the tenant for statutory damages
	70	+	3.7of $2,000, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs.
	71	+	3.8 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
	72	+	3.9 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 504B.216, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
	73	+	3.10 Subd. 5.Apportionment generally.(a) Apportionment of electricity is prohibited.
	74	+	3.11 (b) Landlords must not bill tenants for apportioned utility service under this section less
	75	+	3.12frequently than the landlord is billed by the utility and at a rate that exceeds the rate charged
	76	+	3.13to the landlord by the utility provider.
	77	+	3.14 (c) A landlord who apportions utility service must, upon a tenant's request, provide:
	78	+	3.15 (1) a copy of the current actual natural gas or water and sewer utility bill from the utility
	79	+	3.16provider that is being apportioned; and
	80	+	3.17 (2) a copy of past natural gas or water and sewer utility bills for which the tenant received
	81	+	3.18an apportioned utility bill for the preceding two years or from the time the current landlord
	82	+	3.19acquired the building, whichever is the most recent.
	83	+	3.20 (d) A landlord must include in the lease or in a separate written notice a list of the tenant's
	84	+	3.21rights under paragraph (c).
	85	+	3.22 (e) A landlord who apportions utility service must comply with section 216B.023,
	86	+	3.23subdivisions 5, 7, and 8. A landlord who apportions natural gas is also subject to section
	87	+	3.24216B.024.
	88	+	3.25 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
	89	+	3Sec. 3.
	90	+	REVISOR JSK/BM 25-0434702/27/25