HF 2974

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 04/01/2025 11:24 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to energy; requiring landlords to make apportioned and submetered utility
service bills for residential buildings due not less than 31 days from the date of
bill issuance; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 216B.023, subdivision
1; 504B.216, subdivision 5.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 216B.023, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Billing requirements for submetered service.

(a) If utility service is
submetered, utility bills provided by landlords to tenants must be based on actual submeter
readings. If natural gas service is apportioned, landlords must comply with section 504B.216,
subdivisions 5 and 6.

(b) Landlords are prohibited from billing submetered tenants or tenants whose natural
gas service is apportioned less frequently than the landlord is billed by the utility. Landlords
must include in the lease, or provide a written statement at the outset of the lease term,
notice of when utility bills will be issued.

(c) Landlords must include the following information on each submetered utility service
bill:

(1) the present and last preceding submeter readings;

(2) the date of the present reading;

(3) the rate at which the utility service is being billed, the amount of the service billed
at the rate, and the rate at which the landlord is being billed by the utility provider for the
utility service;

(4) the tenant's portion of taxes and surcharges;

(5) if any, the portion of any bill credit the landlord received from the utility provider
that is credited to the tenant;

(6) any administrative billing charge, as provided in subdivision 4;

(7) the total amount of the bill; and

(8) the date by which payment is due; the date after which, if the bill is not paid, a late
payment charge may be imposed; and the amount of the charge, if any, as provided in
subdivision 6.

new text begin (d) The date by which payment is due for a submetered utility service bill must not be
less than 31 days after the date the bill was issued.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 504B.216, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Apportionment generally.

(a) Apportionment of electricity is prohibited.

(b) Landlords must not bill tenants for apportioned utility service under this section less
frequently than the landlord is billed by the utility.

(c) A landlord who apportions utility service must, upon a tenant's request, provide:

(1) a copy of the current actual natural gas or water and sewer utility bill from the utility
provider that is being apportioned; and

(2) a copy of past natural gas or water and sewer utility bills for which the tenant received
an apportioned utility bill for the preceding two years or from the time the current landlord
acquired the building, whichever is the most recent.

(d) A landlord must include in the lease or in a separate written notice a list of the tenant's
rights under paragraph (c).

(e) A landlord who apportions utility service must comply with section 216B.023,
subdivisions 5, 7, and 8. A landlord who apportions natural gas is also subject to section
216B.024.

new text begin (f) The date by which payment is due for a bill of an apportioned utility must not be less
than 31 days after the date the bill was issued.
new text end