New laws effective January 1, 2023
The following are select new laws passed during the 2022 legislative session—and one from 2021—that take effect January 1, 2023.
Summaries of all laws passed by the 2022 Legislature are available online from nonpartisan House Public Information Services at www.house.mn/newlaws/#/search/2022.
Commerce
Consumers’ financial interest comes first in annuity sales. A new law updates best interest standards in annuity sales to help protect consumers, especially older adults. Insurers may not put their financial interests ahead of the consumer. When recommending an annuity, insurance agents should follow revised National Association of Insurance Commissioners standards, satisfying four conduct obligations: care, disclosure, conflict of interest and documentation.
A new law changes the due date for franchise renewals. The deadline to renew a business registration will be the anniversary of the initial registration instead of 120 days after the end of the fiscal year.
Health and Human Services
A law passed in 2021 made changes to private and public health coverage. Among its provisions, health plans will be required to cover:
• A comprehensive postnatal visit with a healthcare provider not more than three weeks from the date of delivery;
• Any postnatal visits recommended by a healthcare provider between three and 11 weeks from the date of delivery; and
• A comprehensive postnatal visit with a healthcare provider 12 weeks from the date of delivery.
State Government
Fourteen largely non-controversial bills approved by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement were rolled into the omnibus pension and retirement law. A provision of the law will permit teachers to purchase service credit for periods of service as a teacher in another state. Also, several largely technical changes take effect with provisions governing volunteer firefighter relief associations.
Transportation
Buyers seeking older, less expensive, vehicles will have more ways to find out when the vehicle they’re considering has previously been significantly damaged or deemed to be totaled.
The law updates the state’s salvage title regulations by creating a “prior salvage” brand. It aims to solve the issue of less expensive vehicles holding a clean Minnesota title, despite incurring damage that costs more than 80% of its value or causes an insurance company to declare the vehicle a total loss.
The requirements for a “salvage” brand on high-value or late-model cars—those costing $9,000 or more or are five years or newer—remain the same.
The law broadens disclosure requirements to include all brands on the title, requires written notice from dealers that must be signed by the purchaser, and clarifies that oral disclosure is not required for online sales.
In-state and out-of-state vehicles will be treated consistently. Motorcycles as well as heavier commercial vehicles are now subject to the same title branding and disclosure requirements as other types of vehicles.
The law also makes clarifying changes for the readability of the statutes and to conform to Department of Public Safety titling and branding practices.