Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF2874 Compare Versions

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11 1.1 A bill for an act​
22 1.2 relating to commerce; regulating earned wage access services; proposing coding​
33 1.3 for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 47.​
44 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
55 1.5 Section 1. [47.86] EARNED WAGE ACCESS SERVICES.​
66 1.6 Subdivision 1.Definitions.For purposes of this section, the following terms have the​
77 1.7meanings given.​
88 1.8 (a) "Consumer" means an individual who resides in Minnesota.​
99 1.9 (b) "Consumer-directed wage access services" means delivering to a consumer access​
1010 1.10to earned but unpaid income that is based on the consumer's representations and the provider's​
1111 1.11reasonable determination of the consumer's earned but unpaid income.​
1212 1.12 (c) "Earned but unpaid income" means salary, wages, compensation, or other income​
1313 1.13that a consumer or an employer represents and that a provider reasonably determines: (1)​
1414 1.14has been earned or accrued to the benefit of the consumer in exchange for the consumer​
1515 1.15providing services to the employer or on behalf of the employer, including (i) on an hourly,​
1616 1.16project-based, piecework, or other basis, and (ii) in circumstances in which the consumer​
1717 1.17acts as an employer's independent contractor; and (2) has not been paid to the consumer by​
1818 1.18the employer at the time the proceeds are paid.​
1919 1.19 (d) "Earned wage access services" means providing consumer-directed wage access​
2020 1.20services, employer-integrated wage access services, or both.​
2121 1​Section 1.​
2222 REVISOR RSI/DD 25-03757​03/17/25 ​
2323 State of Minnesota​
2424 This Document can be made available​
2525 in alternative formats upon request​
2626 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES​
2727 H. F. No. 2874​
2828 NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
2929 Authored by Kresha, Huot, Kotyza-Witthuhn and Myers​03/26/2025​
3030 The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Commerce Finance and Policy​ 2.1 (e) "Earned wage access services provider" or "provider" means a person that is in the​
3131 2.2business of providing earned wage access services to consumers. Earned wage access​
3232 2.3services provider does not include:​
3333 2.4 (1) a service provider, including but not limited to a payroll service provider, whose role​
3434 2.5may include verifying the available earnings but is not contractually obligated to fund any​
3535 2.6proceeds delivered as part of an earned wage access service; or​
3636 2.7 (2) an employer that offers a portion of salary, wages, or compensation directly to the​
3737 2.8employer's employees or independent contractors before the normally scheduled pay date.​
3838 2.9 (f) "Employer" means a person who employs a consumer or other person and who is​
3939 2.10contractually obligated to pay a consumer earned but unpaid income in exchange for the​
4040 2.11consumer providing services to the employer or on behalf of the employer, including: (1)​
4141 2.12on an hourly, project-based, piecework, or other basis; and (2) in circumstances in which​
4242 2.13the consumer acts as an independent contractor with respect to the employer. Employer​
4343 2.14does not include a customer of an employer or other person whose obligation to make a​
4444 2.15payment of salary, wages, compensation, or other income to a consumer is not based on the​
4545 2.16provision of services by that consumer for or on behalf of the person.​
4646 2.17 (g) "Employer-integrated wage access services" means delivering to a consumer access​
4747 2.18to earned but unpaid income that is based on employment, income, or attendance data​
4848 2.19obtained directly or indirectly from an employer or an employer's payroll service provider.​
4949 2.20 (h) "Fee" means: (1) a fee imposed by a provider for delivery or expedited delivery of​
5050 2.21proceeds to a consumer; or (2) a subscription or membership fee imposed by a provider for​
5151 2.22a bona fide group of services that include earned wage access services. Fee does not include​
5252 2.23a voluntary tip, gratuity, or other donation.​
5353 2.24 (i) "Outstanding proceeds" means proceeds remitted to a consumer by a provider that​
5454 2.25have not yet been repaid to the provider.​
5555 2.26 (j) "Proceeds" means a payment to a consumer by a provider that is based on earned but​
5656 2.27unpaid income.​
5757 2.28 Subd. 2.Requirements and prohibitions.(a) A provider must:​
5858 2.29 (1) develop and implement policies and procedures to respond to questions raised by​
5959 2.30consumers and address complaints from consumers in an expedient manner;​
6060 2.31 (2) whenever the provider offers a consumer the option to receive proceeds for a fee, or​
6161 2.32solicits an optional tip, gratuity, or other donation, offer to the consumer at least one​
6262 2​Section 1.​
6363 REVISOR RSI/DD 25-03757​03/17/25 ​ 3.1reasonable option to obtain proceeds at no cost to the consumer and clearly explain how to​
6464 3.2elect the no-cost option;​
6565 3.3 (3) before entering into an agreement with a consumer to provide earned wage access​
6666 3.4services:​
6767 3.5 (i) inform the consumer of the consumer's rights under the agreement; and​
6868 3.6 (ii) clearly and conspicuously disclose all fees associated with the earned wage access​
6969 3.7services;​
7070 3.8 (4) inform the consumer of any material changes to the terms and conditions of the​
7171 3.9earned wage access services before implementing the changes;​
7272 3.10 (5) allow the consumer to cancel use of the provider's earned wage access services at​
7373 3.11any time without incurring a cancellation fee imposed by the provider;​
7474 3.12 (6) comply with all applicable local, state, and federal privacy and information security​
7575 3.13laws;​
7676 3.14 (7) if the provider solicits, charges, or receives a tip, gratuity, or other donation from a​
7777 3.15consumer:​
7878 3.16 (i) clearly and conspicuously disclose to the consumer immediately prior to each​
7979 3.17transaction that a tip, gratuity, or other donation amount may be zero and is voluntary; and​
8080 3.18 (ii) clearly and conspicuously disclose in the provider's service contract with the consumer​
8181 3.19and elsewhere that tips, gratuities, or donations are voluntary and that the offering of earned​
8282 3.20wage access services, including the amount of proceeds a consumer is eligible to request​
8383 3.21and the frequency with which proceeds are provided to a consumer, is not contingent on​
8484 3.22whether the consumer pays any tip, gratuity, or other donation or on the size of the tip,​
8585 3.23gratuity, or other donation;​
8686 3.24 (8) provide proceeds to a consumer by any means mutually agreed upon by the consumer​
8787 3.25and the provider; and​
8888 3.26 (9) if seeking repayment of outstanding proceeds or payment of fees or other amounts​
8989 3.27owed, including voluntary tips, gratuities, or other donations, in connection with the activities​
9090 3.28covered by this section from a consumer's account at a depository institution, including by​
9191 3.29means of electronic fund transfer:​
9292 3.30 (i) comply with applicable provisions of the federal Electronic Fund Transfer Act, United​
9393 3.31States Code, title 15, sections 1693 to 1693r, and regulations adopted under the Electronic​
9494 3.32Fund Transfer Act; and​
9595 3​Section 1.​
9696 REVISOR RSI/DD 25-03757​03/17/25 ​ 4.1 (ii) reimburse the consumer for the full amount of any overdraft or insufficient funds​
9797 4.2fees imposed on a consumer by the consumer's depository institution that were caused by​
9898 4.3the provider attempting to seek payment of any outstanding proceeds, fees, or other payments​
9999 4.4in connection with the activities covered by this section, including voluntary tips, gratuities,​
100100 4.5or other donations, on a date before or in an incorrect amount from the date or amount​
101101 4.6disclosed to the consumer. A provider is not subject to the requirements under this item​
102102 4.7with respect to payments of outstanding proceeds or fees incurred by a consumer through​
103103 4.8fraudulent or other unlawful means.​
104104 4.9 (b) A provider must not:​
105105 4.10 (1) impose a fee greater than $7 in connection with a fee described under subdivision​
106106 4.111, paragraph (h);​
107107 4.12 (2) share with an employer a portion of any fees, voluntary tips, gratuities, or other​
108108 4.13donations that were received from or charged to a consumer for earned wage access services;​
109109 4.14 (3) require a consumer's credit report or a credit score to be provided or issued by a​
110110 4.15consumer reporting agency to determine a consumer's eligibility for earned wage access​
111111 4.16services;​
112112 4.17 (4) accept payment of outstanding proceeds, fees, voluntary tips, gratuities, or other​
113113 4.18donations from a consumer by means of a credit card or charge card;​
114114 4.19 (5) charge a consumer a late fee, deferral fee, interest, or any other penalty or charge​
115115 4.20for failure to pay outstanding proceeds, fees, voluntary tips, gratuities, or other donations;​
116116 4.21 (6) report to a consumer reporting agency or debt collector information about the​
117117 4.22consumer regarding the provider's inability to be repaid outstanding proceeds, fees, voluntary​
118118 4.23tips, gratuities, or other donations;​
119119 4.24 (7) compel or attempt to compel payment by a consumer of outstanding proceeds, fees,​
120120 4.25voluntary tips, gratuities, or other donations to the provider through any of the following​
121121 4.26means:​
122122 4.27 (i) a lawsuit against the consumer in a court of competent jurisdiction;​
123123 4.28 (ii) use of a third party to pursue collection from the consumer on the provider's behalf;​
124124 4.29or​
125125 4.30 (iii) sale of outstanding proceeds, fees, voluntary tips, gratuities, or other donations to​
126126 4.31a third-party collector or debt buyer for collection from a consumer; or​
127127 4​Section 1.​
128128 REVISOR RSI/DD 25-03757​03/17/25 ​ 5.1 (8) if the provider solicits, charges, or receives tips, gratuities, or other donations from​
129129 5.2a consumer, mislead or deceive a consumer about the voluntary nature of the tips, gratuities,​
130130 5.3or donations or represent that the tips, gratuities, or donations benefit a specific individual​
131131 5.4or group of individuals.​
132132 5.5 (c) The limitations set forth under paragraph (b), clause (7), do not preclude a provider​
133133 5.6from: (1) using a method specified under paragraph (b), clause (7), to compel payment of​
134134 5.7outstanding proceeds or fees incurred by a consumer through fraudulent or other unlawful​
135135 5.8means; or (2) pursuing an employer for breach of the employer's contractual obligations to​
136136 5.9the provider.​
137137 5.10 (d) A provider may use the mailing address or state of residence provided by an individual​
138138 5.11or that individual's employer to determine the individual's state of residence for purposes​
139139 5.12of this section.​
140140 5.13 Subd. 3.Applicability.(a) This section does not apply to a person doing business under​
141141 5.14and as permitted by any law of Minnesota or of the United States relating to banks, savings​
142142 5.15associations, trust companies, or credit unions.​
143143 5.16 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, earned wage access services offered​
144144 5.17and provided by a licensed earned wage access services provider in accordance with this​
145145 5.18section is not:​
146146 5.19 (1) in violation of or noncompliance with law governing: (i) deductions from payroll,​
147147 5.20salary, wages, compensation, or other income; or (ii) the purchase, sale, or assignment of​
148148 5.21or an order for earned but unpaid income;​
149149 5.22 (2) a loan or other form of credit or debt. A provider is not a creditor, debt collector, or​
150150 5.23lender with respect to a loan or other form of credit or debt; or​
151151 5.24 (3) money transmission. A provider is not a money transmitter with respect to money​
152152 5.25transmission.​
153153 5.26 (c) Notwithstanding any other law, fees, voluntary tips, gratuities, or other donations​
154154 5.27paid in accordance with this section to an earned wage access services provider are not​
155155 5.28interest or finance charges.​
156156 5.29 (d) If this section conflicts with any other provision of law, this section prevails.​
157157 5.30 Subd. 4.Licensure.(a) Before a person offers or provides earned wage access services​
158158 5.31to consumers, the person must obtain a license from the commissioner as an earned wage​
159159 5.32access services provider. For purposes of this subdivision, "person" includes a person that​
160160 5​Section 1.​
161161 REVISOR RSI/DD 25-03757​03/17/25 ​ 6.1does not have a physical location in Minnesota but that offers and provides earned wage​
162162 6.2access services electronically via the Internet.​
163163 6.3 (b) The application for licensure must be made in accordance with procedures under​
164164 6.4sections 56.02, 56.04, 56.07, and 56.08.​
165165 6.5 (c) A license must state: (1) the address where the business is to be conducted or that​
166166 6.6the business is to be conducted entirely online; (2) the full name of the licensee; and (3) if​
167167 6.7the licensee is (i) a copartnership or association, the names of the copartnership or​
168168 6.8association's members, and (ii) a corporation, the date and place of the corporation's​
169169 6.9incorporation. The license must be conspicuously posted in the licensee's place of business​
170170 6.10or made available on the licensee's website. A license is not transferable or assignable.​
171171 6.11 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a person who provided earned wage access services​
172172 6.12in Minnesota as of January 1, 2025, may, until the commissioner has processed the person's​
173173 6.13license application, continue to provide earned wage access services in Minnesota without​
174174 6.14a license if the person submitted a license application within three months after the​
175175 6.15commissioner prescribed the form and content of an application and otherwise complies​
176176 6.16with this section.​
177177 6.17 Subd. 5.Books of account; annual report; schedule of charges; disclosures.(a) A​
178178 6.18licensee must keep and use in the business books, accounts, and records that enable the​
179179 6.19commissioner to determine whether the licensee is complying with this section.​
180180 6.20 (b) A licensee shall file a report to the commissioner on or before March 15 each year.​
181181 6.21The report must include the information the commissioner reasonably requires concerning​
182182 6.22the earned wage access services business and operations during the preceding calendar year,​
183183 6.23including:​
184184 6.24 (1) gross revenue attributable to the licensee's earned wage access services;​
185185 6.25 (2) the total number of transactions in which the provider provided proceeds to consumers;​
186186 6.26 (3) the total number of unique consumers to whom the provider provided proceeds;​
187187 6.27 (4) the total dollar amount of proceeds the provider provided to consumers; and​
188188 6.28 (5) the total dollar amount of fees, voluntary tips, gratuities, or other donations the​
189189 6.29provider received from consumers.​
190190 6.30 Subd. 6.Examinations.(a) For the purpose of discovering violations of this section or​
191191 6.31securing information lawfully required by the commissioner, the commissioner may​
192192 6.32investigate the earned wage access services provider and examine books, accounts, records,​
193193 6​Section 1.​
194194 REVISOR RSI/DD 25-03757​03/17/25 ​ 7.1and files, regardless of whether the person acts or claims to act (1) as principal or agent, or​
195195 7.2(2) under or without the authority of this section. The commissioner has free access to the​
196196 7.3offices, places of business, books, accounts, papers, records, files, safes, and vaults of all​
197197 7.4persons that must register under this section. The commissioner is authorized to require the​
198198 7.5attendance of and to examine under oath all persons whose testimony the commissioner​
199199 7.6requires relative to the earned wage access services business or to the subject matter of an​
200200 7.7examination, investigation, or hearing.​
201201 7.8 (b) A licensee must pay to the commissioner the amount required under section 46.131,​
202202 7.9and the commissioner may maintain an action for the recovery of the costs in any court of​
203203 7.10competent jurisdiction.​
204204 7.11 Subd. 7.Complaints alleging violation.A consumer that has reason to believe this​
205205 7.12section has been violated may file a written complaint with the commissioner setting forth​
206206 7.13the details of the alleged violation. Upon receiving the complaint, the commissioner may​
207207 7.14inspect the pertinent books, records, letters, and contracts of the provider involved. The​
208208 7.15commissioner may assess the provider a fee to cover the necessary costs of an investigation​
209209 7.16under this subdivision. The commissioner may maintain an action to recover the costs in a​
210210 7.17court of competent jurisdiction.​
211211 7.18 Subd. 8.Suspension or revocation of license.(a) The commissioner may, upon 30​
212212 7.19days' notice to the licensee stating the contemplated action and the grounds forming the​
213213 7.20basis for the action, and upon reasonable opportunity for the licensee to be heard, revoke a​
214214 7.21license issued under this section if the commissioner finds:​
215215 7.22 (1) a licensee failed to (i) pay the annual license fee required by this section, or (ii)​
216216 7.23comply with any demand, ruling, or requirement the commissioner lawfully made pursuant​
217217 7.24to the authority of this section;​
218218 7.25 (2) a licensee violated any material provision of this section or any rule adopted by the​
219219 7.26commissioner under this section; or​
220220 7.27 (3) a fact or condition exists that, if the fact or condition had existed at the time of the​
221221 7.28original application for the license, would have warranted the commissioner refusing to​
222222 7.29originally issue the license.​
223223 7.30 (b) The commissioner may, upon three days' notice and a hearing, suspend any license​
224224 7.31for a period not exceeding 30 days pending an investigation.​
225225 7.32 (c) The commissioner may revoke or suspend a license if grounds for revocation or​
226226 7.33suspension occur or exist. If the commissioner finds that the grounds for revocation or​
227227 7​Section 1.​
228228 REVISOR RSI/DD 25-03757​03/17/25 ​ 8.1suspension apply to multiple offices operated by the licensee, the commissioner must revoke​
229229 8.2or suspend all of the licenses issued to the licensee to which the grounds for revocation or​
230230 8.3suspension apply.​
231231 8.4 (d) A licensee may surrender a license by delivering to the commissioner written notice​
232232 8.5that the licensee surrenders the license. The surrender does not affect the licensee's civil or​
233233 8.6criminal liability for acts committed prior to the surrender.​
234234 8.7 (e) A revocation, suspension, or surrender of a license does not impair or affect the​
235235 8.8obligation of a preexisting lawful contract between the licensee and a consumer.​
236236 8.9 (f) A license issued under this section remains effective until the license is surrendered,​
237237 8.10revoked, or suspended under this section. The commissioner may reinstate suspended​
238238 8.11licenses or issue new licenses to a licensee whose license or licenses have been revoked if​
239239 8.12no fact or condition exists that would have warranted the commissioner to initially refuse​
240240 8.13to issue the license under this section.​
241241 8.14 (g) When the commissioner revokes or suspends a license issued under this section, the​
242242 8.15commissioner must file a written order that contains the evidence and reasons supporting​
243243 8.16the revocation or suspension. A copy of the written order must be delivered to the licensee.​
244244 8​Section 1.​
245245 REVISOR RSI/DD 25-03757​03/17/25 ​