Dozens of Minnesota bills to go into effect July 1

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KTTC) – State lawmakers set July 1 as the effective date for several key bills over the course of the legislative session.

With the date just a few days away, here’s a look at some of the bills to look out for.

Cannabis

Starting July 1, new cannabis provisions will start kicking in. While major elements like possession and expungement won’t start until August, the state will begin ramping up its new cannabis-based resources starting in July. That includes officially establishing the Office of Cannabis Management, and making funds available to start regulation. Taxation of the substance also goes into effect, but only as a formality. Bill authors estimate marijuana won’t be available for purchase until 2025 at the earliest.

Education

New appropriations made available for state educators will become available starting in July. The state’s annual education budget sees an increase of 10%, making an additional $2.6 Billion dollars available to schools around the state beginning July 1. Funding for schools will also be tied directly to inflation, removing the need to up the budget each year for the sole purpose of keeping up. The universal school meals bill also kicks in the same day, ensuring kids access to up to two free school meals each day.

Energy

New clean energy incentives will be made available. Grant programs to help the state transition to 100% clean energy by 2040 will aim to speed that process up as much as possible.

Healthcare

Finally, the Nurse and Patient Safety Act officially begins in July. The bill requires hospitals to have incident response plans in place to combat any violence against healthcare workers. It also sets aside $10.6 million to create a loan forgiveness program for Minnesota-based healthcare workers.

Agriculture

The state’s newly established grain indemnity fund will allow farmers a failsafe if their grain elevators fail. The same bill includes more than $120 million toward expanding broadband access.

Public Safety

A new law will attempt to increase treatment for PTSD among first responders by requiring them to go through up to 32 weeks of mental health care before they can receive duty disability benefits. Minnesota will also establish a brand new Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls. Additional provisions toward public safety include limitations for no-knock warrants and a new program for early release of incarcerated persons.