New Laws
New laws that took effect today include:
Adult-use cannabis legalized, and prior low-level cannabis convictions expunged
Adults aged 21 or older can possess or publicly transport 2 ounces of adult-use cannabis flower, and up to 8 grams of cannabis concentrates. Adults can also possess up to 2 pounds of adult-use cannabis flower in their home. Penalties are established for violating possession limits, making illegal cannabis sales, selling to a minor, and exceeding personal cultivation limits. Criminal records of Minnesotans with petty misdemeanor and misdemeanor cannabis convictions will begin to be expunged. Although the records are not destroyed, they are removed from public view and will not appear in criminal background checks. More on this below.
Statement of faith requirement removed from PSEO
Higher education institutions participating in the postsecondary enrollment option program (PSEO) will no longer be allowed to require a faith statement from applicants for admission. House Republicans fought hard against this provision, which is already in litigation. While this law takes effect August 1, a judge has already ordered state officials to not enforce it as this lawsuit unfolds.
Universal Background Checks
Private transfers of pistols and semiautomatic weapons without a firearms eligibility background check will be prohibited. A gun purchaser will be required to apply for a permit to carry first. Private transfers must complete a record of transfer which includes detailed information about the weapon and individuals involved.
My concern about this law is that it puts restrictions on law-abiding gun owners while doing nothing to stop straw purchases (people who buy a gun for someone who is prohibited from carrying one due to felony convictions or other issues). I met with the ATF and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) about straw purchases several years ago and they said the most important thing we can do is increase the penalty for straw purchases from a gross misdemeanor to a felony. People continue to be straw buyers because they don’t get prosecuted at the gross misdemeanor level – prosecutors usually don't take the case unless it is a felony. We offered a bill and an amendment to make this common sense change that law enforcement is asking for and it was rejected multiple times. We have to strengthen current law and enforce laws already on the books if we are going to really address gun violence. The criminals won’t go through a background check and there are still no stronger penalties for straw purchases.
Increased penalties for catalytic converter thefts
The new law prohibits the possession of a detached catalytic converter with a few narrow exceptions and provides that individuals found with illegally acquired detached catalytic converters could be charged with up to a felony.
New labor trafficking law
A new law creates a new crime of labor trafficking that results in death with a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $40,000 fine. It also creates enhanced penalties for labor trafficking a person over an extended period or when a labor trafficking victim suffers great bodily harm because of the trafficking. This crime could be punished by up to 20 years in prison and a $40,000 fine if the victim is under age 18, labor trafficking occurs over an extended period, or the victim suffers great bodily harm, and the harm was proximately caused by the labor trafficking conduct of the offender.
Permitting electronic signatures on wills
A new law allows a will to be witnessed and, where allowed, electronically notarized and completed.
You can learn more about these laws and other changes here.
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