By Rep. Paul Anderson
An array of new laws takes effect on Aug. 1. They cover topics ranging from transporting agricultural products to exemptions for day care providers. I will give a brief description of several of these changes in statute, and if anyone wants more detail on any of them, or would like a more complete listing, they could call my office at (651) 296-4317.
The definition of “harvest season” has been expanded from nine months to 12 months to give an hours of service exemption to those engaged in the intrastate transportation of agricultural commodities and farm supplies within a 150-mile radius. This law change also has the effect of applying a federal exemption from hours of service rules that govern interstate movement of ag commodities and farm supplies.
A new law will require residential contractors and insurance adjusters to provide consumers with written notification in their initial home repair estimate that they cannot cover any part of the insurance deductible. Current law already says they can’t build that cost into the estimate, but now that prohibition in statute must be put in writing in that initial estimate.
An addition to current statute adds provisions to what should be included in motor vehicle service contracts. Minnesota now joins 30 other states in conforming its law to what should be included in roadside repairs.
In what’s billed as senior consumer protection, The Safe Seniors Act will give broker dealers and investment advisors the authority to report suspected financial exploitation of seniors to the Dept. of Commerce or the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center. Those who report abuse will have protection from civil and administrative liability. This new law will allow seniors’ accounts to be frozen or have disbursements delayed if those advisors believe financial exploitation has occurred or will occur.
Minnesota’s law pertaining to the blending of biodiesel was updated this past session. In a bill I carried, the exemption for number one diesel fuel, which was set to expire, was made permanent. It also provides for a “ramp-up” period from April 1 to April 15 when the blending of diesel will increase from 10 percent to 20 percent.
Other legislation passed during the last session provides for a so-called bill of rights that will ensure siblings in foster care have the right to visit each other. Another change in law says that unmarried parents will now receive the same rights as divorced couples in the child custody process.
In child support law, a court currently can modify an arrangement’s terms if it’s determined to be “unreasonable or unfair.” A new law that takes effect next month flips legal presumption so any modification in child support law will be presumed to be a substantial change in circumstances in child support orders.
And child care providers will no longer have to publicly post the correction orders handed down from the Dept. of Human Services. These orders are already posted on-line so it was deemed duplicative to also post them on-site.
In addition, a new law exempts certain child care providers from the Positive Support Strategies Rule. This exemption pertains to those providers who deal with persons having developmental disabilities or related conditions.
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Another busy week for summer celebrations and county fairs in our area. Glenwood’s Waterama takes places this week, and the Stearns County Fair runs this week in Sauk Centre.
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