Law legalizes alcohol in nursing homes, allows local liquor provisions

A new law will allow nursing homes, boarding care homes and assisted living facilities to serve alcohol without obtaining a license or permit for service of intoxicating liquor, effective April 22, 2026.

Intoxicating liquor can only be served to the residents of the facility and their guests and only at activities or events for residents and guests on the facility’s property. The facility can’t offer alcohol for sale.

To serve alcohol, the facility must submit notice to the Department of Public Safety of its intent to allow the service of intoxicating liquor and hold a license from the Department of Health required to be a valid licensed facility.

Facilities must be open to inspections regarding the law and the Department of Public Safety can take enforcement action against the facility for violations that include service to an obviously intoxicated person, providing underage access to alcohol, and unlawful possession or storage of alcohol.

The law also allows a manufacturer or wholesaler who is engaged in selling nonalcoholic products to engage in the trade practices of the nonalcoholic product industry, if the sales and practices of selling the nonalcoholic products aren’t used as an unlawful inducement to buy alcoholic beverages. This provision is effective Aug. 1, 2026.

The new law allows counties, with the approval of the Department of Commerce, to issue seasonal on-sale licenses and seasonal on-sale malt liquor licenses to resorts, effective Aug. 1, 2026.

In Douglas County, the law will allow cities to issue a temporary on-sale intoxicating liquor license to a food truck in connection with private events in the county in which the food truck has a contract to serve food and beverages. The licenses must be limited to four consecutive days, not to exceed 12 days per year, and aren’t required to be associated with a permanent building or fixed establishment. The provision is effective upon approval by the Douglas County Board and expires one year after it takes effect.

The law’s other provisions will:

• allow St. Paul to issue on-sale intoxicating liquor licenses to the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Union Depot, effective upon approval by the St. Paul City Council;

• allow an on-sale intoxicating liquor license to be issued to any entity holding a concessions contract with the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, effective April 22, 2026;

• allow a license to sell intoxicating liquor to be issued for the campus of the College of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota, effective April 22, 2026;

• allow an on-sale intoxicating liquor license for a food hall at 800 LaSalle Ave., effective upon approval by the City of Minneapolis;

• allow Mankato to issue an on-sale wine and malt liquor intoxicating liquor license to Minnesota State University, Mankato, for events at the Taylor Center, effective upon approval by the Mankato City Council;

• allow Rochester to issue an on-sale intoxicating liquor license to the Historic Chateau Theater, effective upon approval by the Rochester City Council;

• allow Bloomington to issue an on-sale intoxicating liquor license for the Bloomington Dwan Golf Course, effective upon approval by the Bloomington City Council;

• allow Lake of the Woods County to issue temporary licenses for premises of the Baudette Arena Association, effective upon approval by the Lake of the Woods County Board;

• allow St. Louis Park to issue an on-sale intoxicating liquor license to an anchor tenant for a food hall at The Shops at West End, effective upon approval by the St. Louis Park City Council;

• allow Springfield to issue an on-sale intoxicating liquor license, an on-sale wine and strong beer license or an on-sale including Sunday intoxicating liquor license for the Springfield Area Community Center, effective upon approval by the Springfield City Council;

• allow Erhard to issue an on-sale intoxicating liquor license to the Erhard Community Park, effective upon approval by the Erhard City Council;

• allow Marshall to issue an on-sale wine and malt liquor intoxicating liquor license to Southwest Minnesota State University for events at the Schwan Regional Event Center and the recreation/athletic facility, effective upon approval by the Marshall City Council; and

• allow Brainerd to issue an intoxicating liquor license to the Northern Pacific Center, effective upon approval by the Brainerd City Council.

Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell) and Sen. Matt Klein (DFL-Mendota Heights) are the sponsors.

HF2027/SF2511*/CH48

SF2511* / HF2027 / CH48