SF 2868 Minnesota Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Remove drug testing requirements for persons receiving certain public assistance benefits

This bill modifies Minnesota's public assistance eligibility rules for individuals convicted of certain drug offenses. It specifies that people convicted of a felony-level drug offense within the past ten years may face requirements like receiving benefits in vendor form for housing/utilities and undergoing random drug testing. If testing positive for illegal substances, counties must provide referrals to substance use disorder treatment programs. The bill explicitly excludes cannabis-related convictions from these restrictions.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 24, 2025 Last action Mar 23, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduction → 1st Engrossment · 4 edits · Mar 18, 2026

MODERATE

This bill removes drug testing requirements for individuals receiving Minnesota public assistance benefits, including MFIP and SNAP. It repeals a statute that previously prohibited people convicted of certain drug offenses from receiving benefits and eliminates the mandatory drug testing provisions that were tied to those restrictions. The changes aim to reduce barriers to accessing essential food and cash assistance for individuals with past drug convictions.

Scope change

The bill expands eligibility for public assistance by removing the ban on individuals with felony-level drug convictions from the previous ten years and eliminating the requirement for random drug testing for these individuals.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed the prohibition preventing individuals convicted of felony-level drug offenses within the last ten years from receiving MFIP benefits.

REQUIREMENT

Eliminated the requirement for random drug testing for applicants and participants convicted of felony-level drug offenses.

ENFORCEMENT

Repealed the entire statute (Minnesota Statutes 256D.024, subdivision 1) that established drug testing and benefit restrictions for drug offenders.

DEFINITION

Removed the specific list of drug offense statutes that triggered the ban and testing requirements.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Comm report: To pass as amended

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health and Human Services

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced

Introduction and first reading

upper

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors