New Laws for 2026

The following are select new laws passed during the 2025 regular and special sessions that take effect on January 1, 2026. Summaries of all laws passed by the 2025 Legislature are available online from nonpartisan House Public Information Services at www.house.mn.gov/newlaws/#/search/2025.

Civil Law

Order for protection against financial

exploitation of a vulnerable adult

The 2025 public safety and judiciary policy and finance law contains a provision that aims to better protect vulnerable adults from exploitation and scams, “a petitioner may petition the court for an order for protection against financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult seeking injunctive relief and any other equitable remedy the court deems appropriate.”

Relief may be provided if a court finds the vulnerable adult is in imminent danger of or is being financially exploited, there is a likelihood of irreparable harm and nonavailability of an adequate remedy, the threatened injury to the vulnerable adult outweighs the possible harm to the respondent, and an order protects the vulnerable adult’s financial security. Relief could include prohibiting direct or indirect contact with the vulnerable adult and freezing the vulnerable adult’s assets and line of credit.

Elections

Absentee ballot, other changes

A person using the online application to request an absentee ballot will need to provide both a Minnesota driver’s license or state ID card number and the last four digits of their Social Security Number, unless the applicant affirmatively certifies that they do not possess one of those numbers.

A person or entity mailing an absentee ballot application or sample ballot must include the following statement in a way that is clearly visible when the mailing is opened: “This mailing is not an official election communication from a unit of government. This [absentee ballot application or sample ballot] has not been included at the request of a government official.”

If a sample ballot is enclosed, the statement must also include the following: “This is a sample ballot, not an official ballot. You cannot cast the enclosed sample ballot..."

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