S.F. No. 4462 Summary

• Allows remote meeting participation by public bodies during peacetime public health emergencies with audio/visual technology, subject to conditions like roll-call votes and at least one member physically present; members can participate from non-public locations up to three times annually for military duty or medical reasons.

• Expands telemedicine coverage during COVID-19 emergency by including mental health practitioners and respiratory therapists as eligible providers and allowing telephone-only consultations, with health carriers required to reimburse telemedicine services equally to in-person care.

• Increases appropriations to Second Harvest Heartland from $1.7 million to $2.95 million in fiscal year 2020 for purchasing milk and protein products from Minnesota farmers and processors for distribution to food shelves.

• Modifies vehicle registration tax calculation to use manufacturer's suggested retail price instead of "base value," with different rates (1.25% for previously registered vehicles, 1.285% for new registrations) and adds authority to adjust registration taxes to correct errors within two years of initial registration.

• Provides temporary COVID-19 emergency authority to the Commissioner of Health to delay, waive, or modify regulatory provisions; establishes temporary alternative health care facilities; and extends various deadlines for court proceedings, child support adjustments, and farmer-lender mediation by 60 days or until emergency ends.