Commerce and Consumer Protection

This bill requires Minnesota's real estate appraiser commissioner to use the Appraisal Foundation's Voluntary Disciplinary Sanction Matrix as the standard when imposing discipline on appraisers. It directly affects licensed real estate appraisers in Minnesota and the commissioner who enforces disciplinary actions. The key provision mandates that the commissioner follow this matrix by default, but allows case-by-case deviations only when specific mitigating circumstances are present. The bill establishes a standardized framework for disciplinary decisions without altering existing penalties or creating new requirements for appraisers.

Minnesota Senate File 1943 prohibits pet shops (physical retail stores selling animals to the public) from selling or transferring ownership of cats and dogs, effective August 1, 2026. The bill allows pet shops to provide space for nonprofit animal shelters, humane societies, or 501(c)(3) rescue groups to offer animals for adoption, but pet shops cannot own the animals or charge fees for this space. It does not affect breeders, direct sales from breeders, or nonprofit adoption organizations themselves. The law aims to shift pet sales toward adoption-focused organizations while maintaining transparency requirements for pet dealers.

This bill requires public cemeteries in Minnesota to allow individuals to be buried according to the rites of their recognized religion, explicitly including green burials. It mandates that these cemeteries permit green burials as long as they follow existing state environmental laws and specific burial regulations. The legislation sets a maximum density limit of 300 green burial plots per acre over 100 years, but allows for higher density if a specific religion requires it as part of its burial rites. These changes directly affect municipalities, towns, and other cemeteries governed by the relevant chapter of the Minnesota Statutes.

This bill updates Minnesota liquor laws by redefining "limited malt liquor" to include beverages with up to 15 percent alcohol and clarifying the definition of "food retailer" to cover various grocery and convenience stores. It authorizes the state to issue new off-sale licenses specifically for limited malt liquor and adjusts how certain food retailers are treated under existing food licensing rules. The legislation also modifies ownership restrictions, preventing manufacturers and wholesalers from owning retail liquor licenses and expanding disqualifiers for people with specific drug-related convictions. Additionally, it exempts certain food retailers from specific consolidated food licensing requirements and changes how license fees are calculated for exclusive liquor stores.

This bill mandates that retail establishments in Minnesota must accept cash as a valid form of payment for goods and services. It defines cash as U.S. paper money and coins and applies the requirement to any business open to the general public. The law will take effect on August 1, 2026, ensuring that consumers can use physical currency for transactions from that date forward.