Other new Minnesota laws taking effect

Minimum wage

Employers phase in the pay rate depending on their size; businesses with total annual sales of at least $500,000 will start with $8 in August, $9 in August 2015 and $9.50 in August 2016. Businesses with total annual sales of less than $500,000 will start at $6.50 in August, $7.25 in August 2015 and $7.75 in August 2016.

Domestic abuse

A new law prohibits a person subject to an order for protection in a child or domestic abuse case from possessing weapons, and requires him or her to surrender firearms to a law enforcement agency or third party within three business days if it is part of a punishment.

Infant DNA

The new law allows newborn baby DNA to be stored by the state or used for research without consent from parents. Parents must tell the hospital that they don't want their baby's genetic information used for a purpose other than newborn screening.

Data protection

A new law expands the definition of drug to include "any compound, substance or derivative which is not approved for human consumption by the United States Food and Drug Administration or specifically permitted for human consumption by Minnesota law," and when introduced to the body induces an effect similar to that of scheduled drugs.

Motor vehicle collisions

Law expands what conditions require a motorist to remain at the scene of a collision. The term "accident" will be replaced by "collision" in hit-and-run provisions in statutes.

Cesar Chavez Day

Starting in 2015, every March 31 in Minnesota will honor civil rights leader Cesar Chavez on his birthday. Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962, which later became the United Farm Workers.