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Minnesota2026Passed Legislature

HF3970

Removing a Perpetrator's Interest in a Contract for Deed

Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 3:39 AM

In one sentence

This law allows unmarried victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, harassment, or sexual extortion to ask a court to remove an abuser's name from a shared home purchase agreement if the abuser has left and stopped paying.

What it does

  • Creates a legal process for unmarried people to end a partner's ownership interest in a contract for deed.
  • Requires proof that the victim or their child suffered domestic abuse, criminal sexual assault, harassment, or sexual extortion by the other person on the agreement.
  • Mandates that the abuser must have physically left the property and stopped making payments for at least six consecutive months before filing.
  • Allows victims to submit specific documents like protection orders, police reports, court records, or a sworn statement from a qualified professional as evidence.
  • Requires the victim to send legal notice of the lawsuit to the abuser, the seller (vendor), tax agencies, judgment lienholders, and anyone else with an interest in the property.

Who it affects

  • Unmarried people who share ownership on a contract for deed and are victims of abuse or sexual assault.
  • Children living with those victims who have also been harmed by the other person on the agreement.
  • The abusers whose names appear on the same property purchase agreement as the victim.
  • Sellers, lenders, tax agencies, judgment lienholders, and others connected to the specific home involved in the lawsuit.

Limits and unknowns

  • This law only applies to unmarried people; it does not cover married couples.
  • The abuser must have physically left the home and stopped paying for at least six consecutive months before this process can start.
  • The provided text ends abruptly, so details about what happens after the court hearing or how long the case takes are missing.

Plain language

Terms to know

Contract for deed
An agreement where a buyer makes payments directly to a seller over time instead of getting a traditional bank loan, often used to buy residential property.
Vendee
The person or people who are buying the home under the contract for deed and making monthly payments.
Qualified third party
A licensed health care worker, domestic abuse advocate, or sexual assault counselor acting in an official capacity who can write a statement confirming that abuse occurred.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestCurrent bill textStored full record

Official summary

Remedy to extinguish a joint interest in a contract for deed of a perpetrator of domestic abuse or sexual assault established.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. Presented to Governor 05/06/2026House
  2. Presentment date 05/06/26Senate
  3. Returned from SenateHouse
  4. Special Order: Rule 45 amendment strickenSenate
  5. Comm report: Rule 45-amend, subst. General Orders SF3907Senate
  6. Received from HouseSenate
  7. AmendedHouse
  8. House rule 1.21, placed on Calendar for the Day 04/23/2026House
  9. Committee report, to adopt as amendedHouse
  10. Author added Frazier and CurranHouse
  11. Introduction and first reading, referred to Judiciary Finance and Civil LawHouse