A number of new state laws come into effect in the new year ranging from elections to minimum wage to the rollout of the state’s new paid family medical leave program.

Elections
Minnesotans using the online request form for a mail-in ballot must now provide a driver’s license or state ID card number along with the last four digits of their social security number in order to receive a ballot.
Other election changes include requiring candidates to provide phonetic spelling or pronunciation of the candidates’ name within their affidavits of candidacy.
In addition, Minnesota passed stricter rules on how candidates or their campaign committees solicit funds for inaugural events and transition expenses. As of Jan. 1, candidates cannot solicit or otherwise accept funds relating to these events except for “through the candidate’s principal campaign committee or as provided through the statutes providing state resources for transition funds,” according to a press release from the Minnesota House of Representatives regarding new laws in 2026.

Paid Family Medical Leave
This year, Minnesota becomes one 13 states, along with the District of Colombia, that mandates paid family medical leave.
The law passed the Minnesota Legislature in 2023 and provides employees up to 12 weeks of family leave and 12 weeks of medical leave for a combined 20 weeks maximum per year. These benefits will be available to both spouses in cases of birth and adoption.
The law was initially funded with one-time funds of $670 million from the state’s budget surplus at that time. In the future, the costs will be split between the employer and employee in addition to a 0.88% payroll tax.
Minnesotans who earn at least 5.3% of the state’s average annual wage (currently about $3,900) are eligible. The law also provides several protections for employees regarding using leave including job protection.
Using this leave, employees will not earn their full income, but anywhere from 55-90% depending on income, with a sliding scale of what percentage of each dollar an employee will receive at different tiers.

Minimum wage
The statewide minimum wage increased with inflation from $11.13 to $11.41 starting Jan. 1. That is an increase of 2.45%.
Beginning in 2018, Minnesota’s minimum wage is annual indexed with inflation, with the cap initially set at 2.5% and then raised to 5% in 2025. That change represents an annual income increase of about $600, up from $23,150 to $23,733.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 2.7% increase in consumer price index for all major items in 2025.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Statistics estimates that 72,000 jobs statewide or about 2.1% of all jobs in the state pay minimum wage.

No Shotgun Zones repealed
Restrictions on deer hunters that only allowed them to use shotguns in certain parts of Southern Minnesota was repealed last year and came into effect Jan. 1.
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota’s “shotgun zone” was established in 1942 in order to protect historically low deer populations in the southern half of the state:
“In the mid-20th century, parts of southern Minnesota had such sparse deer populations that hunting seasons were occasionally closed altogether. At the time, shotguns were significantly less accurate than rifles, especially at longer distances. Their limited effective range required hunters to get much closer to their targets, which naturally reduced harvest rates. Limiting hunters to shotguns was a deliberate strategy to reduce efficiency and support the recovery of the region’s deer population.”
In the ensuing 60 years, not only have deer populations rebounded across the state, but shotguns have also become notably more accurate which led to the law’s repeal in 2025.
“Whatever type of firearm they use, it’s up to hunters to always prioritize safety,” said the Department of Natural Resources in a statement about the law change.

Boat fees
The annual watercraft surcharge increased this year from the previous $10.60 to a range of $14-62 depending on “boat size, type and use,” according to a press release from the Minnesota House of Representatives.
These increased fees are expected to go to local governments and conservation organizations in order to fight invasive species like zebra mussels, black carp, yellow floating heart and more.