SF 4177 Minnesota Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Business services corrections and modernization provisions

This bill updates Minnesota's business services laws to improve how the Secretary of State handles unpaid filing fees and manages liens on business property. It allows the Secretary of State to refuse future filings from individuals with rejected payments, terminate inactive business entities, and pursue collection of outstanding fees. The legislation also modernizes lien procedures by enabling electronic filing and establishing a centralized database for lien notices, renewals, and releases. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of State to organize financing statement information into a master list categorized by farm product for better record-keeping. These changes directly affect business entities, employers, and the Secretary of State's office by streamlining administrative processes and clarifying enforcement mechanisms.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 5, 2026 Last action Apr 7, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduction → 1st Engrossment · 6 edits · Apr 7, 2026

MODERATE

This bill modernizes Minnesota's business filing systems by reducing the number of printed legislative manuals distributed and updating the rules for the Central Notification System used in farm product financing. It also clarifies penalties for unpaid filing fees and reorganizes how lien information is compiled and distributed to dealers.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the Central Notification System to include statutory liens alongside existing financing statements, while removing the requirement to distribute printed lists to schools.

REQUIREMENT

Reduced the number of printed legislative manuals distributed to state institutions from 10,000 to 5,000 copies, with fewer copies allocated to schools and libraries.

Updated the Central Notification System to compile and distribute information on both effective financing statements and statutory liens, replacing the previous separate 'statutory lien master list'.

Removed the requirement for farm product dealers to receive monthly lists in printed paper format, keeping only electronic distribution.

Eliminated the provision requiring the distribution of printed lien lists to schools.

ENFORCEMENT

Added authority for the Secretary of State to terminate a business entity's filing privileges and pursue collection of rejected payment orders if a filing fee is not paid.

DEFINITION

Changed the term 'master list' to 'complete list' throughout the relevant statutes to improve clarity.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

Comm report: To pass as amended

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Committee

Withdrawn and re-referred to State and Local Government

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Committee

Referred to Commerce and Consumer Protection

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Introduced

Introduction and first reading

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors