HF 4242
1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 04/09/2026 03:45 p.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to local government; modifying provisions governing disposition of
decedents' personal property by coroners and medical examiners; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 390.225, subdivision 5; 525.393.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 390.225, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5.
Property of unknown decedents.
If the deleted text begin namedeleted text end new text begin identitynew text end of the decedent is not
knownnew text begin and the county is completing disposition of the decedent's remains in accordance
with section 390.21new text end , the coroner or medical examiner deleted text begin shall release such property to the
county for disposal or sale. If the unknown decedent's identity is established and if a
representative shall qualify within six years from the time of such sale, the county
administrator, or a designee, shall pay the amount of the proceeds of the sale to the
representative on behalf of the estate upon order of the court. If no order is made within six
years, the proceeds of the sale shall become a part of the general revenue of the countydeleted text end new text begin may
place the decedent's personal property with the decedent for burial, arrange for long-term
storage of the decedent's personal property, or arrange for direct disposition of the decedent's
personal property in accordance with section 525.393new text end .
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
new text begin
This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 525.393, is amended to read:
525.393 DISPOSAL BY CORONERnew text begin OR MEDICAL EXAMINERnew text end .
deleted text begin Whendeleted text end new text begin (a) A coroner or medical examiner must complete a full inventory of a decedent'snew text end
personal property deleted text begin of a decedent has come into thedeleted text end new text begin taken into new text end custody deleted text begin of anydeleted text end new text begin by thenew text end coroner
deleted text begin anddeleted text end new text begin or medical examiner. For property thatnew text end has not been surrendered deleted text begin as hereinafter provided
and no will has been admitted to probate or no administration has been had within three
months after the decedent's death, the coroner, after the expiration of said time, shall file in
the court an inventory of all such property and a fingerprint of each finger of each hand of
the decedent. Wearing apparel and such other property as the coroner determines to be of
nominal value, may be surrendered by the coroner to the spouse or to any blood relative of
the decedent. If no will is admitted to probate nor administration had within six months
after death, the coroner shall sell the same at public auction upon such notice and in such
manner as the court may direct. The coroner shall be allowed reasonable expenses for the
care and sale of the property, and shall deposit the net proceeds of such sale with the county
treasurer in the name of the decedent, if known. The treasurer shall give the coroner duplicate
receipts therefor, one of which the coroner shall file with the county auditor and the other
in the court. If a representative shall qualify within six years from the time of such deposit,
the treasurer shall pay the same to such representativedeleted text end new text begin in accordance with section 390.225
and for which no claim has been made within six months after the decedent's death, the
coroner or medical examiner must dispose of the property as described in paragraph (b)new text end .
new text begin
(b) After expiration of the time period in paragraph (a), a coroner or medical examiner
must surrender the decedent's personal property to any known blood relative of the decedent
or to the person with the right to control disposition of the decedent's remains. If no blood
relative of the decedent or person with the right to control disposition of the decedent's
remains is identified by the date when the time period in paragraph (a) expires, the coroner
or medical examiner must sell the personal property of the decedent. Revenue from the sale
of the personal property must first be used to pay for reasonable expenses related to the
storage and burial of the decedent's remains and the care and sale of the personal property.
Any money remaining after reasonable expenses have been paid must be deposited in an
account to be held for one year for future claims by a blood relative of the decedent or a
person with the right to control disposition of the decedent's remains. Any money remaining
in the account after the one year period has expired shall become a part of the general
revenue of the county.
new text end
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
new text begin
This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end