HF3039 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Food and beverage service establishments exempted from the mandatory fee advertisement requirement.
Related bill: SF3225
AI Generated Summary
Purpose of the Bill
The bill aims to amend existing commerce regulations in Minnesota by exempting certain food and beverage service establishments from the mandatory fee advertisement requirements. This adjustment is intended to simplify pricing strategies and enhance the clarity of advertised prices for consumers.
Main Provisions
- Modification of Existing Law: The bill modifies Minnesota Statutes to allow food and beverage establishments, including but not limited to restaurants, hotels, bars, food concessions, grocery stores, and catering services, to be exempt from listing mandatory fees or surcharges in their advertised prices.
- Clear Disclosure Requirement: Establishments must still ensure that any automatic or mandatory gratuities are clearly disclosed. This means that consumers should understand any additional charges that are not included in the listed prices from initial advertisements.
- Compliance with Typesize Requirements: Any fees (such as those in a contract for banquet or catering services) must be clearly explained on any advertisement, menu, or display in compliance with the United States Food and Drug Administration typesize regulations.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Exemption Grant: The bill provides an exemption for food and beverage items sold directly to consumers by specified businesses from the requirement to include all mandatory fees in their advertised prices.
- Consumer Awareness: While establishments are exempt from listing these fees upfront, they must still ensure that consumers are fully informed of any fees associated with their purchase, thereby promoting transparency.
Relevant Terms
- Mandatory fee
- Gratuity
- Price disclosure
- Restaurant, hotel, bar, food concession
- Grocery store, grocery delivery
- Catering and banquet services
- Advertising compliance
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 01, 2025 | House | Floor | Action | Introduction and first reading, referred to | Commerce Finance and Policy |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Clarifications on which fees are mandatory and the obligations of delivery platforms to disclose fees."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill modifies the regulatory requirements for advertisements related to mandatory fees, specifically exempting food and beverage service establishments from such requirements under section 325D.44.",
"modified": [
"Revises advertisement requirements to exempt food and beverage service establishments from disclosing mandatory fees within price advertisements."
]
},
"citation": "325D.44",
"subdivision": "subdivision 1a"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"New exemption for individual food or beverage items sold by certain establishments."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This amendment updates the list of exemptions from advertisement requirements for mandatory fees under section 325D.44.",
"modified": [
"Exemption criteria expanded to include specific food-related businesses under subdivision 1b."
]
},
"citation": "325D.44",
"subdivision": "subdivision 1b"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Relates to the definition of motor vehicle dealer for determining the applicability of advertisement fee requirements.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "168.27",
"subdivision": "subdivision 1 paragraph f"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Aligns settlement service fee exemptions with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "12 U.S.C. 2602",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Ensures that mandatory fee disclosures meet FDA typesize requirements for advertisements.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "21 C.F.R. part 101",
"subdivision": ""
}
]