HF 4599

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 05/13/2020 04:31pm

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; modifying the time period for the Farmer-Lender Mediation
Act in 2020; amending Laws 2020, chapter 74, article 1, section 19.

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

Section 1.

Laws 2020, chapter 74, article 1, section 19, is amended to read:

Sec. 19. FARMER-LENDER MEDIATION EXTENSIONS.

(a) The legislature finds that due to the emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic,
the time period for the Farmer-Lender Mediation Act needs to be temporarily extended to
ensure an orderly process with state assistance to adjust agricultural indebtedness to preserve
the general welfare and fiscal integrity of the state.

(b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 583.26, subdivision 4, a creditor may
not begin or continue proceedings to enforce a debt subject to the Farmer-Lender Mediation
Act against agricultural property of the debtor under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 580 or
581, or Minnesota Statutes, sections deleted text begin 336.9-501 to 336.9-508 deleted text end new text begin 336.9-601 to 336.9-624 new text end , to
terminate a contract for deed to purchase agricultural property under Minnesota Statutes,
section 559.21, or to garnish, levy on, execute on, seize, or attach agricultural property until
150 days after the date the debtor files a mediation request with the director of the Minnesota
Extension Service new text begin , or December 1, 2020, whichever is later new text end .

(c) Any mediation proceeding being conducted pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, chapter
583, and that is in progress on the effective date of this section is allowed an additional 60
days from the date the debtor filed a mediation request with the director of the Minnesota
Extension Service new text begin or until December 1, 2020, whichever is later, new text end before a creditor can
proceed to enforce a debt against the debtor's agricultural property.

Sec. 2.

Laws 2020, chapter 74, article 1, section 19, the effective date, is amended to read:

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment and
applies to (1) mediation proceedings in progress on the effective date of this section, and
(2) mediation proceedings beginning after the effective date of this section if the mediation
request is filed before deleted text begin July deleted text end new text begin August new text end 31, 2020.

Sec. 3. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 and 2 are effective retroactively from April 16, 2020.
new text end