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New Minnesota laws going into effect August 1
A series of new laws go into effect Thursday, including ones related to booster seats, parental custody, and adoption.
ST PAUL, Minn — A series of new laws are going into effect Thursday in Minnesota, including ones related to the ability of parents with disabilities to adopt, booster seats, child custody, and carbon monoxide detectors.
Child restraint changes
There are new provisions to the transportation policy law taking effect Aug. 1, including to the requirements around booster seats.
Before these changes, state law required car seats to be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions on height and weight. Now, the new laws specify ages for rear and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts. The new laws also increase the booster seat requirement from 8 to 9 years old.
To see the full list of specific changes based on the child’s age, click here.
Rights for parents with disabilities
Starting Aug. 1, courts cannot deny prospective parents the chance to adopt a child due to the parent’s disability. On top of that, the court cannot deny parenting time with their child because of the parent’s disability, unless the parent “has specific behaviors that would endanger the health or safety of the child.”
Custody and parenting time modifications
Laws related to custody are getting some updates starting Aug. 1. Family law court must now consider the opportunity for a minor child to develop a relationship with each parent when determining custody and parenting time. Additionally, when deciding custody, family law courts cannot prefer one parent or the other solely based on the parent’s gender.
Also updated this August, the court must order compensatory parenting time when a child is intentionally kept from visiting the other parent. If a parent repeatedly and intentionally denies parenting time to the other parent, the court must impose a fine of up to $500.
Minnesota Human Rights Act clarifications
New laws go into effect this Thursday clarifying protections within the Minnesota Human Rights Act. This includes making sure people with episodic disabilities are covered by disability protections and allowing people or groups claiming discrimination with the Department of Human Rights to use an alternative dispute resolution, including mediation, to try and resolve the matter.
Other news laws to know about
– Related to election officials and their families, it’s illegal to make information about them “publicly available without consent if the information’s availability poses an imminent and serious threat to the safety of the official, their family or household member and the person making the information available knows of any imminent or serious threat.” Starting on Aug. 1, the definition of personal information is expanding to include the official’s phone numbers, personal email, minor child’s names, and pictures of minor children.
– To collect DNA from a juvenile, parental consent a warrant, or a court order are required.
– There will be immunity for people acting in good faith to help someone else receive medical assistance for a drug-related overdose.
– Using force against another person based on a belief about the other person’s sexuality will not constitute an authorized use of force.
– Swatting calls — when someone makes a false emergency call that elicits a law enforcement response — is rising from a gross misdemeanor to a felony when said call sends first responders to the home of an elected official, judge, prosecuting attorney, employee of a correctional facility or peace officer.
– It will be a misdemeanor to knowingly make public personal information about a judicial official with the intent to threaten, intimidate, harass, or physically injure. If publishing this information does cause bodily harm it will be a felony.
– Every guest room in a hotel or lodging house must have an operational and approved carbon monoxide alarm installed.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
Gary Peterson and his friends are collecting donations to help people in their community.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A St. Louis Park pumpkin display is raising money for their local food shelf.
Gary Peterson started carving and painting three pumpkins over a decade ago. It’s now grown to over 100.
“I’ve heard people say they’ve come from Hutchinson,” he said.
Peterson along with two of his neighbors have spent the last 14 years growing their display, turning it into a neighborhood event.
“It’s been incredible, I just can’t believe how much this has expanded,” he said. “We did it just because we like to and then people were asking to give us money to cover the cost.”
The trio refused to take people’s money, but then one of them had an idea.
“My neighbor, Steve Leensvaart, just mentioned how about we just do it for the STEP program and the STEP program is our local food shelf in St. Louis Park,” he said.
So, they started to collect donations to help families in need. They’ve raised hundreds of dollars and donated hundreds of pounds of food over the last few years, carving for a cause.
“It is more gratifying every year,” Peterson said.
He estimated they have over 100 unique pumpkins in their yard. They’ve created the displays and come up with new family-friendly concepts for people to enjoy. Peterson said about 30 of their neighbors carved their own pumpkins to be put on display, and it’s been a big hit.
“It’s great. In the last couple of years, it’s turned into more of a neighborhood event,” said Sarah Durch.
“We love this Halloween display, we come every year to see it. We love that the whole community gets involved to craft and carve the pumpkins,” said Jami Gordon-Smith.
“The shading and the details are unbelievable,” said Elizabeth Hanson.
Hanson hopes to take her 2-year-old son trick or treating for the first time but is worried the cold temperatures might keep them indoors.
“We’re going trick or treating hopefully,” she said. “He’s going to be a firefighter, but we’re probably going to have sweatshirts maybe like two pairs of sweatpants underneath. We’re going to be bundled up.”
Gordon-Smith said her family will be out Halloween night no matter the weather.
“Halloween only comes once a year, so you really have to take advantage and enjoy the evening no matter what the weather brings,” she said. “Guess it’s not totally unheard of in Minnesota to have a cold Halloween, but we are going to try and modify and do a lot of layers underneath our costumes and then we might add some hats and maybe some warmer socks.”
Durch also isn’t surprised they’re in for another chilly night.
“Well, what would Halloween be without Minnesota cold? I feel like every time you plan a costume you have to plan for how you can make this work if it’s snowing,” she said.
Peterson said they will have a bonfire and some hot chocolate and cider on Halloween to keep trick-or-treaters warm while they look at their pumpkins.
Click here to learn where you can see the pumpkins and how you can donate.
Jeremy Jourdain was 17 when he was last seen on Halloween 2016.
BEMIDJI, Minn. — The search for Jeremy Jourdain, who was last seen on Halloween in 2016, continues now eight years later.
Jourdain was last seen at a family member’s house in Bemidji, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs. He left the residence near the 500 block of Wood Avenue after midnight and while people followed him, no one was able to find him.
Jourdain was 17 at the time.
Officials said he was wearing a blue and grey sweatshirt, and blue jeans when last seen. He is Native American and is described as 6 foot 5 and 175 pounds.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, you can contact the Bemidji Police Department at (218) 333-9111. Tips can also be sent to 1-833-560-2065, or you can email ojs_mmu@bia.gov.
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