Minnesota House Bill HF4524

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/23/26
• Refer: 3/23/26

Caption

Banks and credit unions prohibited from charging a fee for electronically depositing a check.

Summary

HF4524 would prohibit Minnesota state banks and state credit unions from charging customers a fee to deposit an electronic check. The bill defines “electronic check” by reference to federal regulations, and it creates parallel provisions in Minnesota Statutes chapters 48 and 52, which govern banks and credit unions, respectively. In practical terms, the bill would bar financial institutions covered by the state banking and credit union statutes from imposing a separate charge on consumers who use electronic check deposit services. It does not appear to regulate other fees, other deposit methods, or federally chartered institutions directly; rather, it adds a specific consumer-protection rule for state-regulated banks and credit unions.

Impact

The bill would add new statutory sections to Minnesota law prohibiting state banks and state credit unions from charging fees for electronic check deposits. This would affect the fee schedules and account-service practices of institutions regulated under Minnesota Statutes chapters 48 and 52, while providing customers a clear right to make electronic check deposits without that particular charge. The bill uses a federal regulatory definition of “electronic check,” which helps standardize the scope of the prohibition.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the measure appears straightforward and consumer-oriented, with an emphasis on limiting a specific banking fee. There is no documented opposition or amendment activity in the provided materials, so the available record suggests little visible controversy at this stage.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided committee or vote history. Potential areas of debate, if any arose later, would likely center on whether the fee prohibition could affect bank and credit union pricing flexibility, operational costs, or the availability of electronic deposit services, versus the consumer benefit of eliminating a targeted fee.