Minnesota House Bill HF4952

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/13/26
• Refer: 4/13/26

Caption

Minor league baseball players exempted from minimum wage and overtime requirements.

Summary

HF4952 amends Minnesota’s wage-and-hour law to add minor league baseball players to the list of workers excluded from the statutory definition of “employee” for minimum wage and overtime purposes. The exemption applies to individuals who have entered into a contract to play baseball at the minor league level and who are compensated under a collective bargaining agreement that expressly sets wages and working conditions. The bill is narrow in scope and does not broadly change wage law for other workers. Instead, it creates a specific carveout in Minnesota Statutes section 177.23, subdivision 7, which already contains numerous exemptions for categories such as agricultural workers, seasonal camp staff, certain public employees, seafarers, and religious order members. The bill would take effect the day after final enactment.

Impact

The bill would amend Minnesota’s minimum wage and overtime statute by expanding the list of individuals excluded from the definition of “employee.” As a result, minor league baseball players covered by a collective bargaining agreement would not be entitled to state minimum wage or overtime protections under chapter 177. The change would affect minor league clubs, players, and any employers or leagues operating under such agreements, while leaving the rest of the state’s wage-and-hour framework intact.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears technical and targeted rather than expansive, suggesting a limited policy change focused on aligning state law with a labor arrangement already governed by collective bargaining.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely whether minor league baseball players should be treated as exempt from state wage-and-hour protections despite being workers performing athletic labor. Supporters would likely emphasize the narrowness of the carveout and the fact that wages and working conditions are addressed in a collective bargaining agreement. Opponents would likely argue that the exemption removes minimum wage and overtime protections from a class of workers and could set a precedent for additional industry-specific exemptions.