1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to landlords and tenants; requiring a 
  1.3             landlord to return an application fee or provide a 
  1.4             reason for denial in writing; providing for a civil 
  1.5             penalty; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
  1.6             Statutes, chapter 504. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [504.311] [APPLICATION FEE REFUND OR WRITTEN 
  1.9   DENIAL TO RENTAL HOUSING APPLICANT.] 
  1.10     (a) An owner as defined in section 566.18, subdivision 3, 
  1.11  who collects an application fee from a rental housing applicant 
  1.12  and denies that applicant the rental unit, must either: 
  1.13     (1) refund to the applicant the entire application fee; or 
  1.14     (2) provide to the applicant in writing a reason for denial 
  1.15  that must consist of: 
  1.16     (i) a copy of the tenant screening report furnished by a 
  1.17  tenant screening company that the owner relied upon to deny the 
  1.18  applicant; or 
  1.19     (ii) other information the owner relied on to deny the 
  1.20  applicant, and the source of that information. 
  1.21     (b) A landlord, owner, or caretaker who fails to comply 
  1.22  with paragraph (a) within ten working days of accepting an 
  1.23  application fee is liable to the applicant for the application 
  1.24  fee plus a civil penalty of $150 and civil court filing costs. 
  1.25     (c) All rental housing applications must include 
  1.26  information on an applicant's rights under this section.