HF 639 Minnesota House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Loss of consciousness or voluntary control amendment provisions rulemaking required, and money appropriated.

HF 639 requires Minnesota's commissioner of public safety to update driver safety rules by January 1, 2026, to establish new certification standards for drivers who have experienced loss of consciousness or voluntary control due to medical conditions. The rule change would allow physicians to certify drivers who have been seizure-free for 10 years (without antiseizure medication) for epilepsy history, or 5 years for a single nonepileptic seizure, eliminating the need for ongoing medical reviews. This directly affects drivers with such medical histories and the physicians who assess their fitness to drive.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 13, 2025 Last action Mar 27, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduction → 1st Engrossment · 5 edits · Mar 27, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was updated from its introduction to its first engrossment version, incorporating significant changes to the rules regarding drivers who have experienced loss of consciousness or seizures. The primary update simplifies the requirements for these drivers by removing the need for annual physician statements under specific conditions, such as a single non-epileptic seizure or a long period of being seizure-free without medication. Additionally, the deadline for the commissioner of public safety to update the rules was extended from January 1, 2026, to July 1, 2026, and a new appropriation of $11,000 was added to fund these rulemaking efforts.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a specific appropriation for rulemaking costs, and the applicability of the new rules was refined to offer exemptions from annual physician statements for drivers meeting stricter health criteria.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the commissioner of public safety to amend the rules regarding seizure and loss of consciousness provisions was extended from January 1, 2026, to July 1, 2026.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for drivers with a single non-epileptic seizure or those seizure-free for five years without medication to provide an annual physician statement was removed.

The rules were updated to no longer require annual physician statements for drivers who have been seizure-free for ten years and have not taken antiseizure medication for ten years.

A new provision clarifies that the physician review under these rules does not apply to drivers required to hold a valid medical examiner's certificate under federal regulations.

FISCAL

An appropriation of $11,000 from the driver and vehicle services operating account was added to fund the costs of rulemaking for this section.

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

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Key actions

Committee

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to Ways and Means

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Introduced

Introduction and first reading, referred to Transportation Finance and Policy

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors