The Minnesota Legislature has signed off on a pair of bills aimed at helping homeowners when law enforcement deploys chemical irritants inside houses and apartments, a push inspired by Colin Hortman after his parents were killed in June 2025. The House approved the measures on April 20 and the Senate gave final passage on April 28, sending the package to Gov. Tim Walz for his consideration. Hortman told lawmakers that restoring his parents’ Brooklyn Park home took eight months and still left behind residue that caused eye, throat and skin irritation.
What the bills do
One bill, HF3782, would require officers and agencies to disclose the name, product number and total quantity of any chemical irritant, smoke screen or diversionary device used inside a building, and instructs the Department of Public Safety to create a standard notification form, according to Revisor of Statutes. A companion measure would prohibit homeowners’ insurance policies from excluding coverage when a homeowner is owed just compensation for damage caused by a peace officer’s use of those devices, while allowing homeowners to choose their own mitigation contractors and permitting insurers to seek subrogation where appropriate, as described by LegiScan.
Hortman described the aftermath
Testifying before a House committee, Hortman said the months-long cleanup and back-and-forth with insurers piled extra stress onto his family’s grief. “The part that concerns me most is that my family had resources that most people do not have,” he told lawmakers, according to CBS Minnesota. His testimony and written comments are detailed in the Public Safety Finance and Policy committee minutes, which show his experience helped prompt lawmakers to draft the measures, according to the Minnesota House.
Passage and next steps
The House cleared the measures on April 20 and both bills secured final passage in the Senate on April 28, sending them to Walz’s desk, according to LegiScan. Supporters pitched the package as a set of practical fixes designed to cut down on the months of testing, haggling and confusion families can face after a law enforcement incident involving chemical agents.
Legal implications
If Walz signs the bills, insurers would have to let homeowners hire mitigation contractors and follow recognized industry cleanup standards, while still being able to pursue subrogation of a homeowner’s interest in “just compensation.” Local governments would remain responsible for paying that compensation in qualifying cases, according to Revisor of Statutes. The legislation also directs the Department of Public Safety to provide a standard notice so owners and occupants know exactly what substance was used and whether specialized cleanup is needed.
Walz’s decision will determine when the new rules kick in, but advocates and legislators say the intent is straightforward: spare future families the drawn-out, confusing process Hortman described. Hortman and his supporters describe the bills as modest, practical changes born out of a painful episode, and they are expected to be watched closely at the Capitol.
