SF 4145 Minnesota Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Landlords prohibition from listing the name of a minor child of a tenant in a eviction complaint

This bill prohibits landlords in Minnesota from listing minor children as defendants in eviction complaints against their parents or guardians, while still allowing landlords to list minors as defendants if they are the only person renting the unit. The law includes a penalty provision requiring landlords to pay tenants either $300 or actual damages, whichever is greater, if they violate this restriction. Any lease terms that attempt to override this protection are declared void and unenforceable. The bill would take effect on August 1, 2026, and would apply to eviction cases filed on or after that date.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 4, 2026 Last action Mar 23, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduction → 1st Engrossment · 3 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MINOR

The bill was updated from its introduction to its first engrossment version, reflecting a shift in focus from prohibiting landlords from listing minors as lease parties to specifically prohibiting them from being named as defendants in eviction complaints. This change clarifies the bill's primary intent to protect children from being directly sued in housing disputes. Additionally, the financial penalty for violating the law was reduced from treble damages plus attorney fees to a maximum of $300 in actual damages.

Scope change

The scope of the prohibition was narrowed from covering the act of listing a minor as a tenant in a lease to specifically covering the act of listing a minor as a defendant in an eviction complaint.

REQUIREMENT

The bill's title and main prohibition were changed to focus exclusively on preventing landlords from naming minor children as defendants in eviction complaints, rather than listing them as lease parties.

ENFORCEMENT

The penalty for violating the law was significantly reduced from treble actual and consequential damages plus reasonable attorney fees to a maximum of actual and consequential damages or $300, whichever is greater.

TIMELINE

The section's applicability was changed from applying to leases entered into or renewed on or after August 1, 2026, to applying only to eviction actions filed on or after that date.

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Key actions

Committee

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Housing and Homelessness Prevention

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Introduced

Introduction and first reading

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor