ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Tim Walz today signed three bills into law.

Chapter 114, Senate File 4097 : The Omnibus Commerce Policy Bill. This bill makes modifications to provisions related to insurance, financial institutions, commercial regulations, and consumer protections, as well as making reforms to medical debt statutes and the laws governing student loans.

“Medical payments should not be an insurmountable, lifelong burden that impacts your ability to buy a house or retire with dignity,” said Governor Walz . “Yet, taking an unexpected trip to the emergency room can wipe out your savings and destroy your credit score. This bill is an important step toward making sure that the fear of medical debt does not prohibit access to healthcare.”

Chapter 116, House File 3911 : The Environment and Natural Resources supplemental Budget Bill. This bill establishes coordinated permitting work across agencies, provides resources for regulatory work in environmental justice areas, funding for pollinator habitats, and funding for other environment and natural resources programs.

Chapter 117, Senate File 716 : The Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act Bill. This bill makes modifications to child welfare provisions to promote the stability and security of African American and over-represented children in the child welfare system, and it ends the pattern of disproportionate removal from their families.

“Prioritizing the welfare of children today will pay off for generations to come,” said Governor Walz. “Disparities in our child welfare system have persisted for too long. This is a major step towards becoming the best state in the nation for all children.”

“Family separation is the most traumatic event that can happen on the life of a child,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “Many communities of color and specifically the African American community have seen their families broken apart at disproportionate rates. I’m excited to see our state beginning to work upstream and find solutions that will help keep families together and tech us lessons that can inform the child welfare system as a whole. I am grateful for all of the community advocates and elected leaders who have worked on this important issue over many years.”