HF 4242

HF4242 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4242-2
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in alternative formats upon request  State of Minnesota  Page No.      341
  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
  H. F. No.  4242
03/12/2026    Authored by Freiberg
  The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Elections Finance and Government Operations
04/09/2026    Adoption of Report: Placed on the General Register as Amended
  Read for the Second Time
05/06/2026    Calendar for the Day, Amended
  Read Third Time as Amended
  Passed by the House as Amended and transmitted to the Senate to include Floor Amendments
1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to local government; modifying provisions governing disposition of
1.3decedents' personal property by coroners and medical examiners; amending
1.4Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 390.225, subdivision 5; 525.393.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 390.225, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
1.7Subd. 5. Property of unknown decedents. If the name identity of the decedent is not
1.8known and the county is completing disposition of the decedent's remains in accordance
1.9with section 390.21, the coroner or medical examiner shall release such property to the
1.10county for disposal or sale. If the unknown decedent's identity is established and if a
1.11representative shall qualify within six years from the time of such sale, the county
1.12administrator, or a designee, shall pay the amount of the proceeds of the sale to the
1.13representative on behalf of the estate upon order of the court. If no order is made within six
1.14years, the proceeds of the sale shall become a part of the general revenue of the county may
1.15place the decedent's personal property with the decedent for burial, arrange for long-term
1.16storage of the decedent's personal property, or arrange for direct disposition of the decedent's
1.17personal property in accordance with section 525.393.
1.18EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.
1.19Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 525.393, is amended to read:
1.20525.393 DISPOSAL BY CORONER OR MEDICAL EXAMINER.
1.21When (a) A coroner or medical examiner must complete a full inventory of a decedent's
1.22personal property of a decedent has come into the taken into custody of any by the coroner
Sec. 2.  1
HF4242 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4242-2
2.1  and or medical examiner. For property that has not been surrendered as hereinafter provided
2.2  and no will has been admitted to probate or no administration has been had within three
2.3  months after the decedent's death, the coroner, after the expiration of said time, shall file in
2.4  the court an inventory of all such property and a fingerprint of each finger of each hand of
2.5  the decedent. Wearing apparel and such other property as the coroner determines to be of
2.6  nominal value, may be surrendered by the coroner to the spouse or to any blood relative of
2.7  the decedent. If no will is admitted to probate nor administration had within six months
2.8  after death, the coroner shall sell the same at public auction upon such notice and in such
2.9  manner as the court may direct. The coroner shall be allowed reasonable expenses for the
2.10 care and sale of the property, and shall deposit the net proceeds of such sale with the county
2.11 treasurer in the name of the decedent, if known. The treasurer shall give the coroner duplicate
2.12 receipts therefor, one of which the coroner shall file with the county auditor and the other
2.13 in the court. If a representative shall qualify within six years from the time of such deposit,
2.14 the treasurer shall pay the same to such representative in accordance with section 390.225
2.15 and for which no claim has been made within six months after the decedent's death, the
2.16 coroner or medical examiner may dispose of the property as described in paragraph (b).
2.17     (b) After expiration of the time period in paragraph (a), a coroner or medical examiner
2.18 must surrender the decedent's personal property to any known blood relative of the decedent
2.19 or to the person with the right to control disposition of the decedent's remains. If no blood
2.20 relative of the decedent or person with the right to control disposition of the decedent's
2.21 remains is identified by the date when the time period in paragraph (a) expires, the coroner
2.22 or medical examiner must dispose of the personal property of the decedent by either placing
2.23 the decedent's personal property with the decedent for burial, or selling the personal property
2.24 of the decedent in accordance with paragraph (c).
2.25     (c) If the coroner or medical examiner sells the personal property of the decedent, revenue
2.26 from the sale of the personal property must first be used to pay for reasonable expenses
2.27 related to the storage and burial of the decedent's remains and the care and sale of the
2.28 personal property. Any money remaining after reasonable expenses have been paid must
2.29 be deposited in an account to be held for one year for future claims by a blood relative of
2.30 the decedent or a person with the right to control disposition of the decedent's remains. Any
2.31 money remaining in the account after the one year period has expired shall become a part
2.32 of the general revenue of the county.
2.33     EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 2.  2