MINNESOTA — New Minnesota laws taking effect Jan. 1, 2025 include added protection for online ticket purchases.

The Ticketing Fairness Act requires “all-in pricing” to ensure concert and other event ticket buyers know the total ticket cost up front; ensure buyers receive proof of purchase and refund policy details within 24 hours and ban deceptive advertising and speculative pricing.

If a reseller uses a “bot” or other technology to buy more tickets than allowed, the law gives the Department of Commerce power to demand the reseller disclose how it was able to accomplish the deception. That information could be shared with the attorney general’s office for possible prosecution.

Government-imposed taxes, such as sales taxes, are not subject to the mandated sales requirements.

Exemptions to the law include fees authorized by law related to the purchase or lease of a motor vehicle that are charged by a motor vehicle dealer, feels added by a business or the business’ affiliate where either the business or affiliate is regulated by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, or any fees, surcharges or other costs associated with real estate settlement services, except real estate broker commissions and fees.

Salary ranges will be required in job postings. A person or entity that employs 30 or more employees at one or more sties in Minnesota “must disclose in each job posting the starting salary range or fixed pay rate and a general description of all benefits and other compensation. A salary range cannot be open ended.

In addition, health care employers must adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke by requiring a smoke evacuation system during any surgical procedure likely to generate surgical smoke.

Health plans offered, sold, issued, or renewed on or after Jan. 1 must provide coverage for abortions and abortion-related services, including pre-abortion and follow-up services.

Health plans cannot impose co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles or other enrollee cost-sharing greater than cost-sharing they apply to similar services. Nor can a health plan impose any coverage limitations including but not limited to any utilization review, prior authorization, referral requirements, restrictions, or delays that are not generally applicable to other coverage under the plan.

The abortion coverage does not apply to managed care organizations or county-based purchasing plans when the plan provides coverage to public health care program enrollees under MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance.

Tenant associations can form an organization to improve housing conditions, amenities, or community life. The law prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenant organizations if they report a code violation to a government entity, seek assistance from a community organizer, contact the media, or testify if court or an administrative proceeding concerning premises condition.

Guns with binary triggers will be prohibited. A binary trigger allows a firearm to shot on the pull of the trigger and a second shot on the trigger release without requiring a subsequent pull of the trigger.

A new law creates the Office of Emergency Medical Services to replace the Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board.

For more information, visit www.house.mn.gov/newlaws/#/search/2024.