02/07/2025
Uhhh Bass Fishing 365 Days a year now? What!? 🥳
🌟 New Minnesota Laws Effective July 1, 2025 🌟
💧 Free water at large events – Event venues with 100+ attendees now must offer free water and allow people to bring in sealed or empty water bottles.
🏍️ Motorcycle lane‑splitting – Safe lane‑splitting and filtering permitted for motorcyclists at set speeds (max +15–25 mph over traffic).
👶 Protections for minors on social media – Minors featured in 30%+ of a creator’s monetized content must receive trust‑held payments until they turn 18.
🦫 State symbols added – Giant beaver named state fossil; Ursa Minor (Little Dipper) named state constellation.
💼 Sick‑leave documentation change – Employers may now request a doctor’s note after two days of earned sick leave, not three.
📅 New school year flexibility – For 2026‑27 and 2027‑28 school years, districts can start classes as early as September 1 (instead of post‑Labor Day).
🎣 Year‑round bass fishing – Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing seasons now run all year.
🛥️ Boater permit requirement – Vessel operators under age 21 now need a boating permit to go unsupervised, with full rollout to all ages by 2028.
👨⚕️ Pediatrician duty added – Must educate parents on identifying and reporting infant abuse.
💰 Cannabis tax hike – Tax on cannabis (and related products) increases from 10% to 15%.
🏘️ HOA ombudsperson created – New state role to help resolve disputes between homeowners and associations.
🔒 Fraud prevention & whistleblower expansion – Agencies can withhold payments for 60 days amid fraud concerns; new whistleblower protections and grant‑manager training mandated.
⚖️ Public safety updates – Harsher penalties for assaulting firefighters, extended arson limits, expanded utility‑damage definitions, and broader use of drones and vehicle trackers by law enforcement.