St. Paul, MN – The Suburban Solutions Caucus is encouraging swift, bipartisan action to address a 2023 law that effectively bans the sale, replacement, and distribution of common residential, automotive, and recreational keys in Minnesota due to their lead content. The Caucus is urging the House Commerce Committee to take up its legislative fixes this session.
While intended to protect public health and the environment, the law’s restrictions have had unintended consequences as no alternative materials currently meet the durability standards required for keys and the new restrictions imposed by the law. The lead level used in key manufacturing—typically between 0.9% and 1.5%—is essential to the strength and durability of keys for daily use.
“This is an issue where we can take a pragmatic approach,” said Rep. Andrew Myers (R-Tonka Bay), Co-Chair of the Suburban Solutions Caucus. “We all share the goal of protecting health and safety, while also ensuring that the products people use every day are reliable and safe. Our solutions include exempting keys from this standard or adopting a more reasonable limitation on lead like the California standard (1.5%). As a last resort, the Legislature could delay the ban for three years—which the PCA itself recommended for key fobs—so that legislators, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and industry can work to identify a reasonable alternative."
If this issue is not addressed, residents, vehicle owners, recreational vehicles, property managers, business owners, healthcare facilities, manufacturers and local government will be left with no option, and keys will not be made or sold in the state of Minnesota.
“It’s important that we take time to listen, understand the technical realities, and make adjustments when a policy has unintended effects,” Myers added. “A bipartisan fix is already being discussed, and I’m hopeful the Commerce Committee will take this up in the weeks ahead.”
The Suburban Solutions Caucus remains committed to bridging the divide and creating reasonable solutions to the priorities of Minnesotans that support health and safety, strengthen Minnesota’s economy, and ensure policy is grounded in real-world application. Learn more at https://suburbansolutionscaucus.com/.
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