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SF 7

Protection order amendments.

2025 Regular Session

SF 7 broadens fishing license exemptions to any disabled veteran whose disability occurred during service, regardless of residency, to fish without a license.

Assigned Chapter Number 66
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Bill Summary · SF 7

Bill summary — SF 7 (Introduced Jan 13, 2025)

Note on discrepancy: the bill’s stated title (“Eligibility modification for redevelopment districts”) appears to be incorrect for the text provided. The bill text and provisions below concern fishing privileges for disabled veterans.

Main purpose and intent

SF 7 would expand and clarify fishing-license exemptions for veterans who became disabled during military service. It changes current law that provides certain lifetime licenses for resident disabled veterans to allow any veteran (resident or nonresident) whose disability occurred during service to fish without obtaining a fishing license.

Key provisions

  • Expands eligibility:
    • Current law: a resident who served on federal active duty and was disabled during that service is eligible for a lifetime fishing license or lifetime combined hunting and fishing license.
    • Under SF 7: any person — regardless of state residency — who is a disabled veteran whose disability occurred during military service may fish without acquiring a fishing license.
  • Proof on request:
    • A person fishing under this exemption must display proof of veteran and disability status when requested by a peace officer.
  • Penalty for failure to produce documentation:
    • Failure to provide the required documentation is a simple misdemeanor treated as a scheduled violation with a $35 fine.
    • A person charged with failing to produce documentation may avoid conviction by producing proof of veteran and disability status in court within a reasonable time.
  • Conforming change:
    • The bill makes a conforming amendment to the Minnesota statute governing nonresident paddlefish fishing licenses and tags to reflect the expanded exemption.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: disabled veterans whose service-connected disability occurred during federal active duty — both Minnesota residents and nonresidents.
  • State agencies: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and law enforcement officers (for verification/enforcement).
  • Fiscal actors: state hunting/fishing license revenue could be modestly reduced (amount not specified).
  • Administrative processes: verification, enforcement, and recordkeeping for license exemptions.

Procedural status and timeline (as of provided actions)

  • Introduced: January 13, 2025; referred to Veterans Affairs.
  • Subcommittee activity: Subcommittee (Alons, Pike, Townsend) met Jan 16, 2025 and recommended amendment and passage.
  • Also recorded as referred to Taxes (Jan 16, 2025) and later laid on the table (June 9, 2025). Author added: Mohamed (June 9, 2025).
  • Sponsor: Senator Lofgren (primary).
  • Companion bills: HF 948 and HF 3.

Considerations / potential impacts

  • Fiscal: potential small reduction in state license revenue; fiscal impact not estimated in the bill text.
  • Enforcement: requires officers to verify veteran/disability documentation; low fine ($35) for failure to present documentation.
  • Equity/administration: removes residency restriction for the exemption, broadening access to nonresident veterans with qualifying disabilities.
  • Technical: conforming amendment for paddlefish licensing ensures consistency across statutes.

If you want, I can draft a one‑page fiscal note outline or a short briefing memo for an agency (DNR or the Senate Taxes Committee) summarizing likely administrative actions needed to implement the exemption.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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