The "Minnesota Business Filing Fraud Prevention Act" aims to combat fraudulent business filings by establishing a clear process for reporting and addressing such issues. The bill introduces definitions for key terms like "complainant," "filer," and "office," and outlines the procedure for submitting declarations of wrongful filings. The Office of the Secretary of State is responsible for reviewing these declarations and must notify both the complainant and the filer upon acceptance. The legislation also sets timelines for responses and further actions, and it includes provisions for issuing final orders that treat fraudulent filings as if they never existed, along with judicial review options and data classification rules to protect personal information.

In addition to addressing fraudulent filings, the bill introduces new penalties for non-compliant solicitation practices, classifying them as misdemeanors and linking violations to existing statutes. It amends Minnesota Statutes to update government data classifications and adds a new subdivision for business fraud investigations. Furthermore, the bill expands the perjury statute to include false statements related to business fraud investigations, ensuring that such statements are subject to the same legal scrutiny as other sworn statements. The act is set to take effect for filings made on or after January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 13.485, 609.48
1st Engrossment: 13.485, 609.48