Summary of Minnesota Senate File 3044 (SF 3044)
Status and Context
- Bill Number: SF 3044
- Title: Attorney General duties and activities appropriation, consumer protection restitution account establishment provision, consumer litigation account provisions modifications, and proceeds of litigation or settlement account establishment provision
- Purpose (as indicated by title): Adjust appropriations for the Attorney General's office and establish/modify dedicated accounts related to consumer protection restitution, consumer litigation, and proceeds of litigation or settlements.
- Introduced: March 27, 2025
- Current Status: Committee report “To pass” and re-referred to Judiciary and Public Safety (introduced 3/27/2025; committee action 4/2/2025)
- Related House companion: HF 2846
Overview
SF 3044 seeks to alter how funds related to the Minnesota Attorney General’s duties are appropriated and managed by creating or modifying dedicated accounts tied to consumer protection and litigation activity. The bill would establish a consumer protection restitution account, a consumer litigation account, and a proceeds-of-litigation/settlement account, and would authorize or adjust appropriations to support the Attorney General’s responsibilities.
Key Provisions (as described by the bill’s title and status notes)
- Attorney General appropriations: The bill would provide or specify appropriations for the Attorney General’s duties and activities.
- Consumer protection restitution account establishment: Creates or designates an account specifically for restitution related to consumer protection enforcement (i.e., funds recovered or designated for consumer restitution purposes).
- Consumer litigation account provisions modifications: Modifies how funds related to consumer litigation are handled, potentially including deposits, transfers, or usage within a dedicated account.
- Proceeds of litigation or settlement account establishment: Creates or designates an account for proceeds derived from litigation or settlements, to be allocated according to statutory guidelines.
- Allocation and use of funds: While exact details are not provided in the summary, the bill implies dedicated funding streams for consumer protection-related activities and for results from litigation settlements.
Who would be affected
- Minnesota Department/Office of the Attorney General: Directly impacted through new or adjusted appropriations and account structures to support duties and activities.
- Consumers: Potential indirect benefit via dedicated restitution and protections funded by these accounts.
- State government accounts and budgeting processes: Introduction of new or modified dedicated accounts, affecting how settlements and restitution funds are tracked and spent.
- Stakeholders in consumer protection and litigation outcomes: Recipients of restitution or participants in enforcement actions could see clarified funding pathways.
Procedural and Timeline Aspects
- Introduction: March 27, 2025
- Initial Referral: Referred to State and Local Government (3/27/2025)
- Committee Action: 4/2/2025 – “Comm report: To pass and re-referred to Judiciary and Public Safety”
- Next steps: The bill would continue through committee deliberations (Judiciary and Public Safety) and, if advanced, move to floor consideration. The companion House bill is HF 2846.
Notes for Readers
- The summary above reflects the bill’s stated intent and the named provisions at a high level. Specifics such as exact funding amounts, eligible uses of each account, governance, reporting requirements, sunset clauses, or restrictions would be in the full bill text. Readers seeking detail should review SF 3044’s enacted language and any fiscal notes or committee amendments.
