1999 Minnesota Statutes

     504.215 Tenant's right to seek police and emergency 
  assistance. 

    Subdivision 1.    Definitions.  (a) The definitions in 
 this subdivision apply to this section. 

    (b) "Domestic abuse" has the meaning given in section 
 518B.01, subdivision 2. 

    (c) "Landlord" means the owner as defined in section 
 566.18, subdivision 3, the owner's agent, or a person acting 
 under the owner's direction and control. 

    (d) "Tenant" has the meaning given in section 566.18, 
 subdivision 2. 

    Subd. 2.    Emergency calls permitted.  (a) A landlord 
 may not: 

    (1) bar or limit a tenant's right to call for police or 
 emergency assistance in response to domestic abuse or any other 
 conduct; or 

    (2) impose a penalty on a tenant for calling for police or 
 emergency assistance in response to domestic abuse or any other 
 conduct. 

    (b) A tenant may not waive and a landlord may not require 
 the tenant to waive the tenant's right to call for police or 
 emergency assistance. 

    Subd. 3.    Local preemption.  This section preempts any 
 inconsistent local ordinance or rule including, without 
 limitation, any ordinance or rule that: 

    (1) requires an eviction after a specified number of calls 
 by a tenant for police or emergency assistance in response to 
 domestic abuse or any other conduct; or 

    (2) provides that calls by a tenant for police or emergency 
 assistance in response to domestic abuse or any other conduct 
 may be used to penalize or charge a fee to a landlord. 

    This subdivision shall not otherwise preempt any local 
 ordinance or rule that penalizes a landlord for, or requires a 
 landlord to abate, conduct on the premises that constitutes a 
 nuisance or other disorderly conduct as defined by local 
 ordinance or rule. 

    Subd. 4.    Tenant responsibility.  This section shall 
 not be construed to condone or permit any breach of a lease or 
 of law by a tenant including, but not limited to, disturbing the 
 peace and quiet of other tenants, damage to property, and 
 disorderly conduct. 

    Subd. 5.    Tenant remedies.  A tenant may bring a civil 
 action for a violation of this section and recover from the 
 landlord $250 or actual damages, whichever is greater, and 
 reasonable attorney's fees. 

    Subd. 6.    Attorney general authority.  The attorney 
 general has authority under section 8.31 to investigate and 
 prosecute violations of this section. 

    HIST: 1997 c 133 s 1 

*   NOTE:  This section is repealed by Laws 1998, chapter 253, 
*section 80, effective July 1, 1999.  Laws 1998, chapter 253, 
*section 81.