Minnesota SF 1258: Payment prohibition of certain sexual harassment or abuse settlements as severance; state income tax subtraction for damages received establishment

Bill Text

1.1 A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to state government; requiring plain language in written materials for​
1.3 state-issued professional licensing; requiring a report; proposing coding for new​
1.4 law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 15.​
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.6 Section 1. [15.996] PLAIN LANGUAGE IN LICENSE WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS.​
1.7 Subdivision 1.Definitions.For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms have​
1.8 the meanings given:​
1.9 (1) "plain language standards" means the requirements specified in subdivision 2,​
1.10 paragraph (a), and the requirements of the Plain Writing Act, Public Law 111-274, and​
1.11 governor's Executive Order 14-07; and​
1.12 (2) "written examination" means the written portion of an examination in English for a​
1.13 license issued by the state.​
1.14 Subd. 2.Plain language.(a) By February 1, 2026, each commissioner must implement​
1.15 plain language standards for the written portion of a knowledge examination to ensure the​
1.16 written examination is a fair assessment of the license applicant's knowledge of relevant​
1.17 subject matter. The new written portion of the knowledge examination, to the extent​
1.18 practicable, must be organized to serve the reader's needs and written using clear, simplified​
1.19 language with the following grammatical standards:​
1.20 (1) "you" and other pronouns address the test-taker directly;​
1.21 (2) utilize the active voice;​
1.22 (3) use short, simple sentences and straightforward questions;​
1​Section 1.​
25-02528 as introduced​01/29/25 REVISOR SGS/MI​
SENATE​
STATE OF MINNESOTA​
S.F. No. 1258​NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
(SENATE AUTHORS: HOWE and Oumou Verbeten)​
OFFICIAL STATUS​D-PG​DATE​
Introduction and first reading​364​02/13/2025​
Referred to State and Local Government​

2.1 (4) avoid complex and compound sentence structures;​
2.2 (5) utilize commonly used and familiar words;​
2.3 (6) avoid turning verbs into nouns through nominalization;​
2.4 (7) minimize the use of abbreviations;​
2.5 (8) place words carefully to avoid large gaps between the subject, verb, and object in a​
2.6 sentence;​
2.7 (9) avoid confusing terms such as "either, or" and "neither, nor";​
2.8 (10) utilize simple verb tenses, including the simple present verb tense where practicable,​
2.9 to explain confusing or complex concepts;​
2.10 (11) omit double negatives and terms like "except for," "unless," and "indicated​
2.11 otherwise";​
2.12 (12) avoid hidden terms and use concrete, familiar words to describe confusing or​
2.13 complex concepts or items;​
2.14 (13) omit excess and unnecessary words;​
2.15 (14) use the word "must" to express requirements;​
2.16 (15) put exceptions at the end of a question;​
2.17 (16) place modifying terms in correct locations; and​
2.18 (17) any other recommended strategies and techniques designed to offer clear​
2.19 communication to test-takers.​
2.20 (b) Revisions made to the written examination must meet the plain language standards​
2.21 of this section.​
2.22 (c) A written examination must be reviewed for compliance with the plain language​
2.23 standards and approved by the revisor of statutes before implementation.​
2.24 Sec. 2. REPORT; PLAIN LANGUAGE IMPLEMENTATION FOR LICENSING.​
2.25 By February 1, 2027, each commissioner must report to the chairs and ranking minority​
2.26 members of the committees in the house of representatives and the senate with primary​
2.27 jurisdiction for state government on the implementation of the plain language requirements​
2.28 in Minnesota Statutes, section 15.996, for each license type issued by the commissioner.​
2​Sec. 2.​
25-02528 as introduced​01/29/25 REVISOR SGS/MI​