The bill S.F. No. 4579 seeks to regulate shared-metered utility services in residential buildings by amending Minnesota Statutes and introducing new provisions. It defines essential terms such as "landlord," "tenant," "submeter," and "shared-metered residential building," and establishes standards for submetering that must comply with American National Standards Institute standards starting January 1, 2025. The bill outlines the responsibilities of landlords regarding billing practices, requiring them to provide detailed utility bills based on actual submeter readings and prohibiting charges for administrative or maintenance costs unless due to tenant negligence. It also introduces consumer protections for tenants, including the right to dispute inaccurate billing and mandates for landlords to offer payment plans for overdue utility bills.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions to protect tenants from disconnection of utility services during cold weather or medical emergencies and requires landlords to provide clear information on utility bill calculations. It allows tenants to pay for utility services directly if landlords fail to do so and mandates that landlords inform tenants about energy assistance programs annually. The bill clarifies that tenant rights cannot be waived or modified and includes specific provisions regarding eviction actions related to utility nonpayment. It also repeals conflicting statutes and sets an effective date for the new regulations starting January 1, 2025, for leases entered into or renewed on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 504B.215, 216B.022, 504B.285
1st Engrossment: 216B.022, 216B.098, 504B.285, 504B.215
2nd Engrossment: 216B.022, 216B.098, 504B.285, 504B.215
3rd Engrossment: 216B.022, 216B.098, 504B.285, 504B.215
4th Engrossment: 216B.022, 216B.098, 504B.285, 504B.215
1st Unofficial Engrossment: 216B.022, 216B.098, 504B.285, 504B.215
CCR-SF4579: 216B.022, 216B.098, 504B.285, 504B.215